- Date
- December 17, 1991, 09:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cumberland, WI
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N73920Cessna 172N
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911217063129A
- Case key
- 15278
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
Failure to maintain aircraft control by the pilot in commnd. Factors in the accident are the pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather, a blocked pitot static system, lack of total expereince in type of operation, and lack of total expereince in type of aircraft.
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 accident airplane collided with terrain after losing control during IMC flight (snow). FAA records show the pilot had requested an IFR clearance to his destination while he was receiving VFR flight following services. Examination of the airplane wreckage showed the pitot tube packed with ice crystals.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73920
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17267745
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- American Air Center Inc.
- Registered owner
- American Air Center Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- ANE · Minneapolis, MN
- Destination
- IWD · Ironwood, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 922 total · 13 in this make and model · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 20 knots, gusting 24
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RIE, 20 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.