Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bruceton Mills, West Virginia 26525
Tuesady, January 31, 1989 6:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT SAID HE WAS CRUISING AT 3800 FT AND ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENG BEGAN LOSING POWER. HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PLT SAID HE SUSPECTED CARB ICE. HE LANDED ON A HIGHWAY AND WENT OFF THE SIDE INTO A DITCH WHERE THE ACFT ERUPTED ON FIRE. THE TEMP, 38 F; DEW PT, 33 F; CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO INDUCTION ICING. EXAMINATION OF THE ENG DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF CARBURETOR ICE WHICH OBSTRUCTED AIRFLOW TO THE INDUCTION SYSTEM. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, THE HIGHWAY AND THE DITCH WHICH WAS CONTACTED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/31/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 615
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BRUCETON MILLS
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26525
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 636 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MGW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1248
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 624
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 31 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40134
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8264U
NTSB Number BFO89LA017
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172F
Aircraft Series Identifier 172F
Aircraft Serial Number 17252164
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 Apr 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 3000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES R. FLANIGAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 4, BOX 21
Aircraft Owner City DEER PARK
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21550
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2G4
Departure City OAKLAND
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code I15
Destination City LANCASTER
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --