Cessna 172H N2552L

Summary

On 28 October 1995 at about 16:27 local time, a Cessna 172H registered N2552L was involved in an accident near Borrego Springs, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 October 1995 at 16:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Borrego Springs, California, United States

Nearest airport

Borrego Valley (L08)

Coordinates

33.1702, -116.2700

Aircraft

Cessna 172H

Registration

N2552L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Diego → Borrego Valley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96LA026

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which failed to detect a bird's nest in the air induction system. Factors in the accident were carburetor icing conditions and the pilot's improper use of carburetor heat.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that while descending for landing he applied carburetor heat. The engine rpm decreased to about 1000, and subsequently could not be adjusted by the pilot. The pilot then elected to land on a dirt area in a landfill southeast of the airport. The nose gear collapsed rearward during the landing on the uneven terrain. Straw debris was found surrounding the heat muff leading to the carburetor air box. Similar debris was also found in a large quantity inside the air box behind the air cleaner bracket. The temperature was 67 and the dew point 53 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature/dew point range is in an area on the carburetor icing probability chart which is annotated for moderate carburetor icing at cruise power and serious carburetor icing at glide power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.