Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

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.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

November 8, 2005 · Cessna 172L · N7684G

Lehighton, PA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
November 8, 2005
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Lehighton, PA
Aircraft
Cessna 172L
Tail Number
N7684G
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
NYC06LA028

The airplane had not flown for several weeks. The pilot stated that he sumped both fuel tanks and the gascolator during the preflight inspection. The taxi and engine run-up were normal, and the airplane departed on a 2,020-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, turf runway. About 250 feet above the ground, the engine began to run rough and lost power. The pilot turned right to avoid obstacles, and the engine lost all power. The pilot then attempted a forced landing to a field, but the airspeed decreased, and the rate of descent increased. The airplane's nosegear impacted a down-sloping field. During the impact, the left wing sustained substantial damage from a tree strike, and the airplane came to rest upright in the field. Approximately 4 ounces of fluid was recovered from the carburetor, of which about 3 1/2 ounces was consistent with water, while 1/2 ounce was fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel contamination, and a subsequent forced landing to a field.

Full Narrative

On November 8, 2005, about 1415 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172L, N7684G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power while departing Beltzville Airport (14N), Lehighton, Pennsylvania. The certificated airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned flight to Slatington Airport (69N), Slatington, Pennsylvania. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported that the airplane had not flown for several weeks. According to the pilot's written statement, he intended to fly the airplane to a nearby airport and have an annual inspection performed. The pilot further stated that he sumped both fuel tanks and the gascolator during the preflight inspection. In addition, the taxi and engine run-up were normal. The airplane subsequently departed on runway 26, a 2,020-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, turf runway. About 250 feet above the ground, the engine began to run rough and lose power. The pilot turned right to avoid obstacles, and the engine lost all power. The pilot then attempted a forced landing to a field, but the airspeed decreased, and the rate of descent increased. The airplane's nosegear impacted a down-sloping field. During the impact, the left wing sustained substantial damage from a tree strike, and the airplane came to rest upright in the field. The FAA inspector recovered approximately 4 ounces of fluid from the carburetor. About 3 1/2 ounces were consistent with water, while 1/2 ounce was consistent with fuel. The pilot stated that he was unable to locate the aircraft logbooks. In addition, after one verbal and two written requests from a Safety Board investigator, the pilot failed to provide information regarding the date of the airplane's last annual inspection, or the airframe total time at that inspection.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time14:15 EST
Nearest AirportBeltzville Airport (2nm)
Runway26
Runway Length2020 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172L
Tail NumberN7684G
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320 · Reciprocating · 150
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 55 · First Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind3 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point63 F / 41 C
Altimeter30.04 inHg
Observation Time18:51
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data