- Date
- March 8, 1984, 14:02 local (19:02 UTC)
- Place
- Meadville, PA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N96286Cessna 172Q
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840308076189A
- Case key
- 35321
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Plts were briefed on snowstorm advancing toward destination, departed in hope of arriving ahead of wx. Encounting IMC conditions (snow) enroute, plt filed IFR and continued. Communications transcript indicates that when eng began to lose power, plt used carb heat to remedy, although conditions not conducive to carb ice. Power was regained. Then lost totally, partially regained, then lost finally and totally during emergency descent. Investigation showed that during apparent landing attempt in open field in snowstorm, right wingtop made initial impact with terrain and acft cartwheeled to a stop, sustaining other damage. Cockpit showed right-to-left occupant contact with instrument panel. Eng induction air filter was found to be totally blocked with impacted snow. Impacted snow and ice found between colling fins of #1 and #2 cylinders and carb heat intake, as well as around starter, alternator, belts and other eng fwd eexterior surfaces.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N96286
- Reported as
- Cessna 172Q
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17276051
- Airframe hours
- 65
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4N, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dave Harmon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 5B5 · Bennington, VT
- Destination
- YNG · Youngstown, OH
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,476 total · 279 in this make and model · 4,242 as pilot in command · 207 in the last 90 days · 82 in the last 30 days · 9 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 13 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FKL, 22 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.