Cessna 172N N4814F

Summary

On 1 September 1995 at about 13:37 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N4814F was involved in an accident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 September 1995 at 13:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Spgs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Colorado Spgs Municipal (COS)

Coordinates

38.8099, -104.7106

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N4814F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95LA374

2 people were seriously injured.

BLOCKAGE OF THE CARBURETOR BY A PIECE OF FOREIGN MATERIAL, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY LEAN THE FUEL MIXTURE WERE POSSIBLE FACTORS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CLIMBING NORMALLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT RECALLED TURNING 'BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY.' THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER RECALLED THERE HAD BEEN A POWER LOSS 'AS IF THE POWER HAD BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO IDLE.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WING DROPPED, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FOUND IN THE FULL RICH POSITION. A 4 INCH BY 3/8 INCH PIECE OF BAFFLE SEAL MATERIAL WAS FOUND NEXT TO THE VENTURI IN THE AIR INTAKE SIDE OF THE CARBURETOR THROAT, LODGED BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR PUMP DISCHARGE TUBE AND THE POWER JET. THE UNDISTURBED CARBURETOR WAS FACTORY TESTED ON A SIMILAR ENGINE. THE ENGINE OPERATED 'EXTREMELY RICH.' ONE PILOT WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN THE AIRPLANE SAID THE ENGINE DID NOT DEVELOP FULL POWER. ANOTHER PILOT-INSTRUCTOR SAID HE NOTICED THE ENGINE REQUIRED 'MORE LEANING' THAN OTHER CESSNA 172S HE HAD FLOWN. ELEVATION AT THE AIRPORT WAS 6172 FEET.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.