Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Edinburg, Virginia 22824
Wednesday, September 18, 2002 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The purpose of the flight was to complete a biennial flight review (BFR), for the owner of the airplane. While en route to the destination airport, the airplane began to shake several times, and then the engine lost power. At an altitude of 1,200 feet, the CFI prepared for a forced landing to a field, and just prior to touchdown the airplane entered a "full stall situation" and impacted the bank of a ravine. Examination of the airplane revealed fuel in the gascolator, carburetor bowl, and fuel lines to the engine. The engine was test run on the airframe, and it started and ran continuously for several minutes without hesitation, through a range of power settings from 700 to 2150 RPM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Edinburg
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22824
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 384707N
Event Location Longitude 0783606W
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1624 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID SHD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1201
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) 2791
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 14727
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2004 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Dulles FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5033H
NTSB Number IAD02LA095
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17265308
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Sep 2 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0.9
Airframe Hours 4500.2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Edward Carter
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Staunton
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24402
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HGR
Departure City Hagerstown
Departure State MD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SHD
Destination City Shenandoah
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 6 2003 2:04PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --