# NTSB FTW94LA083: Cessna 172N, N737ZY, Georgetown, AR, February 16, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 16, 1994, 09:20 local (15:20 UTC) - Place: Georgetown, AR - Location: 35.1267° N, 91.4539° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Georgetown, AR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1267&lon=-91.4539&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 14, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18999 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW94LA083 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18999/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW94LA083 ## Probable cause A CARBURETOR ICING INDUCED POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT IN CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN ONTO WHICH A FORCED LANDING COULD BE EXECUTED. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, cruise - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions - carburetor heat - improper use of, pilot in command (cause) - fuel system,carburetor - ice (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - utility pole - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER CIRCLING A TOWN SEVERAL TIMES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FIND A PRIVATE AIR STRIP, HE DECIDED TO FLY TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND LOSING RPM. THE PILOT'S EFFORTS TO REGAIN POWER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT SUSTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. HE ELECTED TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING ON A GRAVEL ROAD. TOUCHDOWN WAS SUCCESSFUL; HOWEVER, AFTER A SHORT GROUND ROLL, THE PILOT LIFTED THE AIRPLANE OFF AGAIN TO AVOID HITTING A HIGH TREE STUMP. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN THE SECOND TIME THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AND THE AIRPLANE YAWED INTO A DITCH. THE ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATED THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS ICING EXISTED AT CRUISE POWER FOR THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS THAT WERE PRESENT. TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 48 AND 35 DEGREES F, RESPECTIVELY. ## Factual narrative On February 16, 1994, at approximately 0920 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737ZY, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Georgetown, Arkansas. The airplane, flown by a private pilot, was on a personal cross country flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Neither the pilot, nor the one passenger were injured. According to the pilot, he found water in both tanks during the preflight inspection and he sumped the tanks until none was present. He departed Marked Tree, Arkansas, at 0830, and proceeded to Georgetown. Upon arriving in the Georgetown area, he was unable to find a grass strip that his passenger said was there. He stated that after circling the town several times at 1,200 feet MSL, he decided to go to Searcy, Arkansas, which was about 5 miles distant. The pilot further stated that shortly thereafter the engine began running rough and lost RPM. His efforts to alleviate the problem were unsuccessful and the RPM continued to drop. He stated that he checked the primer, fuel selector, and mixture, however; he was unsure whether he applied carburetor heat and if so for how long. The pilot stated he could not sustain level flight and elected to execute a forced landing to a gravel road. He stated that touchdown was normal, but he then noticed a 7 foot high stump on the right side of the road and lifted the airplane off again to clear the stump. After touching down the second time the left wing struck a telephone pole and the airplane yawed into a ditch. In his post-accident report the pilot stated he suspected carburetor ice as the reason for the power loss. The icing probability charts indicated the potential for serious icing existed at cruise power settings for the atmospheric conditions that were present. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N737ZY](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N737ZY-2013-09-26), registration cancelled 2013-09-26, S/N 17269813, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17269813 - Airframe hours: 4416 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Mcguire, Eric A. - Registered owner: Dowty, Gene - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 9, 1993, 112 hours before - Departed: 6M8, MARKED TREE, AR - Destination: M07, SEARCY, AR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 21; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 306 total, 141 in this make and model, 237 as pilot in command, 86 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BVX, 25 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 19940216002569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940216002569A), Feb 16, 1994: Cessna 172N, Georgetown, AR, Substantial damage. Lost power circling to find private strip. Elected land on road. Wing hit telephone pole. Went into ditch. Carb ice 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.