# NTSB ERA23LA190: Cessna 172H, N2554L, Charles Town, WV, April 11, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 11, 2023, 17:11 local (21:11 UTC) - Place: Charles Town, WV - Coordinates: 39.254252, -77.83768 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2543&lon=-77.8377&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 107045 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA190 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107045/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107045 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA190 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis While en route to the destination airport, the engine began “sputtering.” The pilot reported that the mixture was in the full rich position and he applied carburetor heat; however, the engine did not regain full power. He performed a forced landing to a field and during the landing the nose landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. During the recovery of the airplane, 5 gallons of fuel was noted in the right fuel tank and 10 gallons of fuel was noted in the left fuel tank. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation; the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On April 11, 2023, about 1711 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N2554L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Charles Town, West Virginia. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, they departed from Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport/Shepherd Field (MRB), Martinsburg, West Virginia, and flew to Winchester Regional Airport (OKV), Winchester, Virginia. On their return flight to MRB at 2,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine lost partial power. The pilot stated that the engine was “sputtering in and out.” The mixture was in the full rich position and he applied carburetor heat; however, the engine did not regain full power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field and during the landing the nose landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. During the recovery of the airplane, 5 gallons of fuel was noted in the right fuel tank and 10 gallons of fuel was noted in the left fuel tank. About 1653, the weather reported at MRB, about 11 miles northwest of the accident site, included a temperature of 23°C and a dew point of -5°C. The calculated relative humidity at this temperature and dewpoint was less than 20%. Review of the icing probability chart contained within Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 revealed the atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive to icing. An examination of the airplane revealed that fuel was plumbed into the right- and left-wing fuel tanks and flowed to the carburetor without anomaly. The engine remained attached to the fuselage through the engine mounts. Crankshaft and valvetrain continuity were confirmed by rotating the propeller by hand through 720° of rotation. Compression was confirmed on all cylinders. The magnetos produced spark on all leads. The carburetor was examined and no anomalies were noted. The oil filter was examined and was not obstructed. There were no anomalies found with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2554L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2554L), registered now, S/N 17255754, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172H - Registry model: [Cessna 172H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172h) (registry code 2072424) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17255754 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 2189.9 - Engines: Continental O-300 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 1, 2023, 10 hours before - Departed: OKV, Winchester, VA - Destination: MRB, Martinsburg, WV - Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 19; injuries: none; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 28, 2022; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 450 total, 420 in this make and model, 380 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.08 inHg - Observed at: MRB, 11 nm away - METAR: KMRB 112053Z 26010KT 10SM CLR 23/M05 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP187 T02281050 56030 ## 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 20230411005909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230411005909A), Apr 11, 2023: Cessna 172H, Charles Town, WV, Destroyed. PIC narrative: Flying at 2000MSL 17:06 the RPM dropped from 2300 to idling at 1000. Until securing the aircraft 100AGL above the ground, the rpm’s would… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107045. 129 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16321685&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=LA190%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Police report excerpt (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 459 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16327601&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Police%20Report%20Excerpt_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Wreckage examination summary (item 3, PDF, 10 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15671185&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Examination%20Summary%20ERA23LA190-Rel.pdf - ADS-B data (item 4, XLSX, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16322077&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=20230411_A26D00_512549819_ADSB-Rel.xlsx - Flight track (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 513 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16326697&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=LA190%20Flight%20Track-Rel.pdf - Carburetor icing chart (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 325 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16322119&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Probability%20Chart%20LA190-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records excerpts (item 7, PDF, 18 pages, 121 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16326610&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Mx%20Records_Redacted-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.