- Date
- July 17, 1993, 19:50 local (23:50 UTC)
- Place
- New Milford, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2494UCessna 172D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930717024289A
- Case key
- 11955
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
Loss of engine engine power due to water contamination of the fuel. Factors related to the accident were the mice, which partially blocked fuel and air flow to the carburetor, and the lack of suitable terrain in the emergency landing area.
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
During cruise, the engine lost partial power. The pilot stated he applied carburetor heat, and shortly thereafter, the engine lost all power. During an emergency landing on mountainous wooded terrain, the airplane 'clipped' trees and impacted the ground, then it slid about 30 ft and came to rest inverted. An exam of the airplane revealed no airframe anomalies. The engine was inspected and water was found in the gascolator, carburetor float bowl and accelerator pump housing; source of the water contamination was not determined. Mice were found in the carburetor air box and venturi area. One mouse was lodged in the throttle valve. Receipts showed the airplane received about 17 gallons of fuel on the day before the accident. Since then, the airplane had flown about 1 hr. The pilot said that before each flight, he drained each fuel drain. He said water was found in the fuel samples, but he continued to drain the fuel until no more water was detected.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2494U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 50094
- Airframe hours
- 2,394
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wayne R. Adams
- Registered owner
- Wayne R. Adams
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1993 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- PS50 · Kingsley, PA
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
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 212 total · 206 in this make and model · 69 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 45 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BGM, 90 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.
Other investigations on N2494U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.