Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sylvan Springs, Alabama 35118
Saturday, May 1, 1999 9:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he preflighted the airplane before departure with no discrepancies noted. He departed with full fuel tanks and flew to a nearby area where he orbited several times. He flew to another area then returned to the area where he orbited the first time. He later stated that he applied carburetor heat, reduced the throttle, then after seeing the area again, applied the throttle and removed carburetor heat. The engine did not respond. He only verified that the mixture control was full rich, that the magneto switch was in the 'both' position, and pumped the throttle which increased engine rpm slightly. He maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing and just before touchdown, he placed the mixture control in the idle-cutoff position and the magneto switch to the off position. After touchdown, the airplane rolled through a fence then nosed over. The airplane was recovered and using some of the fuel that was in the airplane at the time of the accident, the engine was started and found to operate normally. Review of the icing probability chart revealed that the conditions were favorable for moderate icing at cruise power or serious icing at descent power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/1/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 920
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SYLVAN SPRINGS
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35118
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BHM
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 340
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 1 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1123
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5105G
NTSB Number MIA99LA144
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172H
Aircraft Series Identifier 172H
Aircraft Serial Number 17256222
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 4672
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT C. YOUNG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3989 PINE LANE S.E.
Aircraft Owner City BESSEMER
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35022
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EKY
Departure City BESSEMER
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 905
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --