- Date
- January 31, 1989, 06:15 local (11:15 UTC)
- Place
- Bruceton Mills, WV
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8264UCessna 172F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report August 2, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890131002339A
- Case key
- 11491
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The power loss occurred because of carburetor ice which obstructed airflow to the induction system. Contributing to the accident was the carburetor icing conditions, the highway and the ditch which was contacted.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt said he was cruising at 3800 ft and about 15 minutes after takeoff the eng began losing power. He tried to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. The plt said he suspected carb ice. He landed on a highway and went off the side into a ditch where the acft erupted on fire. The temp, 38 f; dew pt, 33 f; conditions were conducive to induction icing. Examination of the eng did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8264U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17252164
- Airframe hours
- 3,000
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Flanigan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1988 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- 2G4 · Oakland, MD
- Destination
- I15 · Lancaster, OH
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 130 total · 110 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MGW, 13 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.