- Date
- September 16, 1992, 20:24 local (Sep 17, 1992, 00:24 UTC)
- Place
- Havre De Grace, MD
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7396ECessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920916037829A
- Case key
- 11851
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 improper use of carburetor heat control resulting in a total loss of engine power. Factors contributing to the accident include the existence of weather conditions conducive to carburetor icing and the rough terrain on which the aircraft was landed.
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
After receiving a weather briefing and fueling the airplane, the pilot departed on a cross country flight. The pilot stated that about an hour into the flight, the engine 'gradually lost rpm' and he applied carburetor heat 'a little bit'. All power was lost and he executed a forced landing. The airplane touched down in a field and bounced. The pilot stated that he 'pushed down on the yoke' to get it back on the ground and the airplane then nosed over. An examination of the airplane and engine did not disclose any mechanical malfunctions. According to the DOT/FAA/CT82/44 publication: light aircraft piston engine carburetor ice detector/warning device sensitivity/effectiveness, the prevailing temperature and dewpoint at the time of the accident produced a probability of carburetor icing at glide and cruise power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7396E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272105
- Airframe hours
- 5,498
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- International Aviation
- Registered owner
- J. R. Industries
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 23, 1992 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- AIY · Atlantic City, NJ
- Destination
- FDK · Frederick, MD
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 103 total · 100 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- APG, 5 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.