# NTSB ERA19LA280: Cessna 172, N78192, Manville, NJ, September 24, 2019

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 24, 2019, 12:05 local (16:05 UTC)
- Place: Manville, NJ
- Coordinates: 40.528888, -74.589996 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5289&lon=-74.5900&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 100322
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA19LA280
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100322/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100322
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA280

## Probable cause

A total loss of engine power due to the ingestion of sealant material that had loosened inside the carburetor airbox.

## Findings

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

- [Power plant: air intake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Inadequate inspection (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160/cases.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 50 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot was approaching the airport to land at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. As he turned the airplane from the base to final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the engine started to run rough, and subsequently lost all power. He attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. He then performed a forced landing into 70-ft-tall treetops. The airplane came to rest in the treetops, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. Examination of the engine revealed two pieces of debris inside the carburetor airbox downstream from the air filter element. The debris was consistent with epoxy/sealant used during repairs of the airbox. The airbox appeared to have been repaired and patched several times, and some of the sealant on the repairs appeared to be loose. When the debris was placed in the carburetor venturi for reference, it blocked about 50 to 75% of the opening. If the sealant debris came loose inside the airbox while the engine was running, it is likely that it would follow the air path into the carburetor venturi and block the air flow into the carburetor. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor icing; however, the pilot reported applying the carburetor heat on the downwind traffic pattern leg and did not notice any anomalies with the engine at that time. Had significant ice built up in the carburetor during the descent, it is likely that the engine would run roughly soon after the application of the carburetor heat and continue to do so as the ice melted.

## Factual narrative

On September 24, 2019, about 1205 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172K, N78192, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Manville, New Jersey. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the student pilot, he departed with 30 gallons of fuel for a solo cross-country flight. He had calculated that the airplane's fuel consumption would be about 15 gallons for the 187 nautical-mile trip. At the conclusion of the flight, the pilot entered the airport traffic pattern for landing. As he turned from the base leg to final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the engine started to run rough, followed shortly thereafter by a total loss of power. The pilot confirmed that the fuel selector was on "both," the mixture was rich, and the carburetor heat was on. He turned off the carburetor heat and attempted to restart the engine, but the "engine did not respond, and the propeller did not move." The pilot determined the airplane would not reach the runway. He secured the engine and landed in the treetops. After the airplane came to a stop, he noticed branches had punctured both wings and fuel was leaking from both sides of the airplane. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest upright in the treetops about 70 ft above the ground. After the airplane was removed from the trees, the inspector found that little or no fuel remained in the wing tanks. Fuel was present in, and sampled from, the engine fuel drain. It was blue in color, and no water or debris was present. There were no holes or other visible damage noted with the engine. Examination of the engine revealed two pieces of debris inside the carburetor airbox downstream from the air filter element. The debris was consistent with epoxy/sealant used during repairs of the airbox. The airbox appeared to have been repaired and patched several times, and some of the sealant on the repairs appeared to be loose. When the debris was placed in the carburetor venturi for reference, it blocked about 50 to 75% of the opening.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N78192](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N78192-2020-12-04), registration cancelled 2020-12-04, S/N 17257521, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (K)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (registry code 2072430) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17257521
- Year built: 1968
- Airframe hours: 4248
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Rtd Aviation Llc
- Registered owner: Rtd Aviation Llc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 10, 2019, 100 hours before
- Departed: ACY, Atlantic City, NJ
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: 47N, Central Jersey Rgnl, runway 25, 3,507 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 32; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 49 total, 49 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,600 ft broken
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observed at: SMQ, 7 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 20190924018279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190924018279A), Sep 24, 2019: Cessna 172K, Manville, NJ, Substantial damage. Student pilot returning from a long cross country experienced a rough running engine while in the downwind to land at Central Jersey Airport. On base leg the…

## Docket (9 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 10, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100322. 36.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 11.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12544416&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-01%20NTSB%20form%206120_print_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12545513&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-02%20Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Flight instructor statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12545853&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-02b%20Flight%20Instructor%20(not%20on%20board)%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Statement from previous flight's pilot (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 500 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12545780&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-02c%20Statement%20from%20Pilot%20On%20Previous%20Flight_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Excerpts from pilot logbook (item 5, PDF, 11 pages, 4.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12551258&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02-01%20Excerpts%20from%20Pilot%20Logbook_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Excerpts from maintenance logbook (item 6, PDF, 6 pages, 6.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12551529&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03-01%20Excerpts%20from%20Engine%20Maintenance%20Logbook_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Weather reports and records (item 7, PDF, 2 pages, 348 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12545863&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=04-01%20Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Weather%20Records%20and%20Information-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 8, PDF, 6 pages, 6 photos, 9.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12545790&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06-01-%20photo%20array_ERA19LA280-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - engine examination (item 9, PDF, 4 pages, 368 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12544762&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06-02%20Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Wreckage%20Examination_ERA19LA280-Rel.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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