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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

January 12, 1992 · Cessna 172N · N1571E

Show Low, AZ

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 12, 1992
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (3 uninjured)
Location
Show Low, AZ
Aircraft
Cessna 172N
Tail Number
N1571E
Operator
K & M Aviation
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX92LA089

The pilot said while in level cruise on an IFR flight the engine began to loose power due to carburetor ice and attempts to remedy the situation were unsuccessful with the engine eventually loosing all power. The pilot declared an emergency with Albuquerque Center and was radar vectored toward the Show Low Airport. The flight was intermittently in clouds during the emergency descent and broke out at a low altitude. The aircraft had insufficient altitude to make the airport and landed in the only available location, a field about 23 miles from the airport. During roll out, the aircraft collided with a ditch and nosed over. Post accident examination of the aircraft by FAA inspectors revealed that the carburetor heat box had separated from the heat muff of the exhaust system and was hanging loose in the cowling attached only by the fabric hose. A metal band which attaches the carb heat box to the muff had separated. Chaffing on the cowling in the area of where the heat box was hanging indicated it had been separated for some time. The last 100 hour inspection was accomplished 80 operating hours prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX ATTACH STRAPS WHICH ALLOWED THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX TO SEPARATE FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT MUFF AND RENDERED THE CARBURETOR HEAT SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. THE ENGINE THEN LOST POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE.

Full Narrative

THE PILOT SAID WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE ON AN IFR FLIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE AND ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY THE SITUATION WERE UNSUCCESSFUL WITH THE ENGINE EVENTUALLY LOOSING ALL POWER. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH ALBUQUERQUE CENTER AND WAS RADAR VECTORED TOWARD THE SHOW LOW AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT WAS INTERMITTENTLY IN CLOUDS DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT AND BROKE OUT AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE AIRPORT AND LANDED IN THE ONLY AVAILABLE LOCATION, A FIELD ABOUT 23 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. DURING ROLL OUT, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX HAD SEPARATED FROM THE HEAT MUFF OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND WAS HANGING LOOSE IN THE COWLING ATTACHED ONLY BY THE FABRIC HOSE. A METAL BAND WHICH ATTACHES THE CARB HEAT BOX TO THE MUFF HAD SEPARATED. CHAFFING ON THE COWLING IN THE AREA OF WHERE THE HEAT BOX WAS HANGING INDICATED IT HAD BEEN SEPARATED FOR SOME TIME. THE LAST 100 HOUR INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED 80 OPERATING HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:40 MST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172N
Tail NumberN1571E
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorK & M Aviation
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-H2AD · Reciprocating · 160
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (3 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured3
Total3
Crew 1Age 21 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind190° @ 10 kt
Visibility5 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 800 ft
Temperature / Dew Point25 C / 21 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time15:54
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data