- Date
- June 17, 2023, 08:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- San Angelo, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7509XCessna 172B
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 3
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20230617011779A
- Case key
- 192893
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
A partial loss of engine power due to loose bolts holding the carburetor throttle body to the fuel bowl.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff the engine began running rough and the engine lost partial power. The pilot made a forced landing back to the departure airport. During the landing, the airplane touched down hard and departed the side of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination of the carburetor revealed fuel stains around the outside of the fuel bowl and in the throat of the fuel bowl. Five of the six bolts holding the throttle body to the fuel bowl were found only finger-tight. The partial loss of engine power was most likely the result of air being drawn into the fuel bowl due to the loose bolts. The last annual inspection was completed on the engine in January of 2023. Investigators did not determine the last time maintenance was specifically performed on the carburetor.
Factual narrative
On June 17, 2023, about 0845 central daylight time, a Cessna 172B, N7509X, was substantially damaged during a forced landing at San Angelo Regional Airport (SJT), San Angelo, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that after departure from runway 36 the engine began running rough and a partial loss of power occurred. The pilot flew a forced landing to runway 9, during which the engine continued to run rough. The airplane touched down hard and departed the side of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination of the carburetor revealed fuel stains around the outside of the fuel bowl. Five of the six bolts holding the throttle body to the bowl were found finger-tight. The float setting was set overly rich and wear was observed on the tip of the float needle. The last annual inspection was completed on the engine on January 1, 2023. Investigators did not determine the last time maintenance was specifically performed on the carburetor. The airplane had flown about 13 hours since the last annual inspection was completed on the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7509X
- Reported as
- Cessna 172B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17248009
- Built
- 1960
- Airframe hours
- 3,140
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-AF16D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2023 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- SJT · San Angelo, TX
- Destination
- SJT · San Angelo, TX
- Airport
- SJT · San Angelo Regional Airport, runway 9, 4,406 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, ADS-B
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Last flight review
- May 10, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,450 total · 399 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- SJT
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB in all.
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 N7509X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.