- Date
- November 3, 1990, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Elkton, VA
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N902ZZCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901103048659A
- Case key
- 11640
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 pilot's failure to use carburetor heat which resulted in a reduction in engine power. A factor was the rough terrain.
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 reported that he descended into a valley and then he applied full power to climb. According to the plt, shortly after he applied power, the engine partially lost power. Decreasing to about 1650 RPM. The plt decided that total power lost was imminent, so he landed straight head into trees on steep sloping terrain. The plt reported that he did not use carburetor heat. The engine operated satisfactorily during the post-accident test. The local temperature/dew point was 77/42 degs f. conditions were conducive to induction icing, according to icing probability data.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N902ZZ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273595
- Airframe hours
- 4,752
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hanover Aviation Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 15, 1989 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- W83 · Ashland, VA
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 570 total · 17 in this make and model · 300 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.