# NTSB SEA94LA011: Cessna 172M, N9932Q, Longbranch, WA, October 8, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 8, 1993, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Longbranch, WA - Coordinates: 47.199035, -122.759185 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.1990&lon=-122.7592&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 20, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 41837 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA94LA011 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/41837/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA94LA011 ## Probable cause THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES. FACTORS INCLUDE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS AND SOFT TERRAIN IN THE LANDING AREA. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (contributing factor) - fuel system,carburetor - ice - procedures/directives - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis DURING A PRE-RENT CHECKOUT FLIGHT, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE TO SIMULATE A LOSS OF POWER. CARB HEAT WAS APPLIED DURING THE DESCENT, AND ONCE DURING THE MANEUVER THE INSTRUCTOR 'CLEARED THE THROTTLE.' WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED FOR A GO-AROUND NEAR THE END OF THE SIMULATED MANEUVER, AN ALMOST COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. A FORCED LANDING WAS THEN ATTEMPTED IN A NEARBY FIELD, AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AFTER THE NOSE GEAR BROKE OFF IN THE SOFT TERRAIN. ACCORDING TO THE CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART (DOT/FAA/CT-82/44) THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE SERIOUS ICING MAY BE EXPECTED TO OCCUR AT GLIDE POWER. THE ONE APPLICATION OF POWER DURING THE DESCENT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO ENSURE ICE DID NOT FORM IN THE CABURETOR THROAT. ## Factual narrative On Friday afternoon, October 8, 1993, at about 1600 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N9932Q, operated by Pavco Flight Center, impacted terrain and nosed over four miles east of Longbranch, Washington, during an emergency forced landing. There was no flight plan filed for the local training flight, which was conducted under 14 CFR 91 in visual meteorological conditions, that took off at Tacoma, Washington at 1520. The certified flight instructor and the private pilot were not injured in the accident. The aircraft was substantially damaged. There was no fire. Flight instructor Dawson reported he was conducting a pre- rental aircraft check-out for private pilot Perez when he reduced the throttle to simulate an engine failure at 2300 feet MSL. The instructor pilot said that carburetor heat was used during the descent, but that he only "cleared the throttle" once. A surface weather observation taken about ten minutes prior to the accident, at a location six miles from the accident site, recorded a temperature of 62 degrees and a dewpoint of 46 degrees. Both pilots said that the engine did not respond when the private pilot initiated a recovery from the simulated forced landing about 1000 feet MSL. He indicated he took the controls, and attempted to recover engine power, which was not successful. He said he initiated an emergency forced landing in an open field. After touchdown on the soft terrain, the aircraft nosed over. The engine was inspected and successfully test run after the accident. No failed components or functional anomalies were discovered. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9932Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9932Q-1994-06-02), registration cancelled 1994-06-02, S/N 17265876 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17265876 - Airframe hours: 2309 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Pavco Flight Center - Registered owner: Meyer, A.A. And Nancy M. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 4, 1993, 9 hours before - Departed: TIW, TACOMA, WA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 1,548 total, 400 in this make and model, 1,468 as pilot in command, 225 in the last 90 days, 91 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 15 knots - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TIW, 6 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 19931008038599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19931008038599A), Oct 8, 1993: Cessna 172M, Longbranch, WA, Substantial damage. During recovery from engine out demostration engine failed to respond. Nosed over landing. Suspect carburetor 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.