Cessna 172N N902ZZ

Summary

On 3 November 1990 at about 14:30 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N902ZZ, operated by Hanover Aviation Co., was involved in an accident near Elkton, Virginia, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 November 1990 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Elkton, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

38.4096, -78.6091

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N902ZZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hanover Aviation Co.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ashland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO91LA009

2 people had minor injuries.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT WHICH RESULTED IN A REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER. A FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE DESCENDED INTO A VALLEY AND THEN HE APPLIED FULL POWER TO CLIMB. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, SHORTLY AFTER HE APPLIED POWER, THE ENGINE PARTIALLY LOST POWER. DECREASING TO ABOUT 1650 RPM. THE PLT DECIDED THAT TOTAL POWER LOST WAS IMMINENT, SO HE LANDED STRAIGHT HEAD INTO TREES ON STEEP SLOPING TERRAIN. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT USE CARBURETOR HEAT. THE ENGINE OPERATED SATISFACTORILY DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT TEST. THE LOCAL TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT WAS 77/42 DEGS F. CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO INDUCTION ICING, ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY DATA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.