Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77065
Wednesday, January 9, 1985 17:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

INITIALLY, AFTER A TOP OVERHAUL, THE ENG WOULD NOT RUN. THE MECHANIC REMOVED THE CARBURETOR & FOUND A PIECE OF SILICON. AFTER REINSTALLING THE CARBURETOR, THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY. THE PLT THEN TOOK OFF ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLT. AS HE BEGAN A DESCENT BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, THE ENG STOPPED RUNNING & WOULD NOT RESTART, EXCEPT IT RESTARTED MOMENTARILY WHEN HE OPERATED THE PRIMER. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE ACFT HIT A RICE FIELD LEVEE & NOSED OVER. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE FUEL LINE HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE CARBURETOR AT A THREADED FITTING. A LABORATORY EXAM OF THE THREADED FITTING REVEALED A LACK OF SMEARING OR SCRATCHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT IF THE FITTING HAD BEEN PROPERLY TORQUED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/9/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77065
Event Date Year 1985
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 98
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
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 Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 537
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 9 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27822
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73849
NTSB Number FTW85LA095
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17267720
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 9 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 1979
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALFRED C. HABLEMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2401 NW BELT, APT. 809
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77043
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code T17
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1710
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --