- Date
- February 9, 1996, 14:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Gunnison, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4262LCessna 172G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960209047029A
- Case key
- 19759
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
Loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor.
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
While in cruise at 13,000 feet msl on a cross-country flight, engine power gradually deteriorated to a total loss of power. The pilot attempted remedial action without effect and made a forced landing in a field approximately 4 miles from an airport. During the landing, the aircraft encountered rough terrain and was damage. An examination of the aircraft fuel, fuel system, air system, engine, and carburetor provided no evidence of abnormalities which would cause a loss of power. The pilot had the same experience with this aircraft approximately six months earlier in the same area and landed the aircraft in a field without damage.
Factual narrative
On February 9, 1996, at 1415 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172G, N4262L, conducted a forced landing in a field approximately 4 miles west of Gunnison County Airport, Gunnison, Colorado, following a total loss of power. The private pilot was not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and a VFR flight plan was filed for this personal flight which originated in Delta, Colorado, at 1415. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to the pilot, the aircraft was in cruise flight at 13,000 feet above mean sea level (msl) when engine power gradually deteriorated. The pilot said he used carburetor heat, switched tanks, and tried different mixture settings. He said the engine control inputs had no effect and the engine lost all power. A forced landing was conducted in a snow covered field beside U. S. highway 50.
An examination of the aircraft fuel, fuel system, air system, engine, and carburetor was conducted and no abnormalities were found.
Outside air temperature at 13,000 feet msl at the time was approximately minus 2 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to the pilot, he had a similar experience in the same aircraft and area in July 1995, and landed the aircraft without damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4262L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17254331
- Airframe hours
- 2,364
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William M. Reeves
- Registered owner
- Andrew Moffat & Bill Reeves
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1995 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- 3CO0 · Delta, CO
- Destination
- 0V2 · Salida, CO
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 132 total · 121 in this make and model · 109 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 16 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GUC, 4 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.
Other investigations on N4262L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.