# NTSB CEN13LA104: Cessna 172M, N172BJ, Arcola, TX, December 7, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 7, 2012, 14:57 local (20:57 UTC)
- Place: Arcola, TX
- Coordinates: 29.369091, -95.450271 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3691&lon=-95.4503&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 23, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 85817
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA104
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85817/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85817
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA104

## Probable cause

The loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot said that the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power while climbing through 500 feet above ground level. The flight instructor took the controls and performed a landing on a freshly plowed field, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. Postaccident examination of the engine and associated components did not reveal any mechanical failure. The examination revealed that the right fuel tank contained about one gallon of fuel and the left fuel tank was almost full. The master switch was in the on position, the key switch was in the off position, and the fuel selector was in the off position. The airplane was fueled before the flight, but the reason for the fuel imbalance between fuel tanks could not be determined. It is unknown if the fuel selector was on the left tank during the flight and then placed in the off position after the accident.

## Factual narrative

On December 7, 2012, about 1457 central standard time, a Cessna 172M, N172BJ, experienced a total loss of engine power after takeoff from Houston Southwest Airport (AXH), Arcola, Texas. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field. The airplane nosed over and impacted terrain during the landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor and an a private pilot were uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Dutch Wings LLC (dba Dutch Wings Flight School) under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight that was originating at the time of the accident. The flight instructor stated that the private pilot performed a preflight of the airplane and had the airplane fueled. Fuel samples from the airplane fuel drains were free of contaminants. There were no abnormalities with the airplane during taxi to the runway or the engine runup. After takeoff, the airplane experienced a loss of engine power while climbing through about 500 feet above ground level. The flight instructor took the flight controls and performed a forced landing on a freshly plowed field where the airplane nosed-over. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right fuel tank contained about one gallon of fuel and the left fuel tank was approximately full. The gascolator was full of fuel and the fuel line from the gascolator to the carburetor did not contain fuel. There was no fuel contamination present. Examination of the magnetos and carburetor, which were overhauled in 2010, did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The master switch was in the on position, the key switch was in the off position, and the fuel selector was in the off position. The engine was rotated and cylinder compression and engine continuity was noted.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N172BJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N172BJ-2014-11-20), registration cancelled 2014-11-20, S/N 17264243, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17264243
- Airframe hours: 7526
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Dutch Wings LLC, doing business as Dutch Wings Flight School
- Registered owner: Dutch Wings LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, October 26, 2012
- Departed: AXH, Arcola, TX
- Destination: BPT, Beamont, TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: AXH, Houston Southwest Airport, runway 09, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 25, 2011; seat: right; flight hours: 1,430 total, 800 in this make and model, 1,000 as pilot in command, 275 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 11, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 342 total, 67 in this make and model, 131 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observed at: AXH, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20121207028789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121207028789A), Dec 7, 2012: Cessna 172M, Arcola, TX, Substantial damage. On 12/07/2012, at approximately 15:00 CST N172BJ, Cessna, model 172M, lost power, after take off, and made an emergency off airport landing into a field,…

## Other investigations on N172BJ (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN10CA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA075), Dec 11, 2009: Cessna 172 (N172BJ), Pearland, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to control the airplane's descent rate during the short-field landing, resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight examiner's delayed response.

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 13, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85817. 951 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 901 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391974&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Record of Conversation - FAA (item 2, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392086&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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