Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Princeton, Kentucky 42445
Sunday, March 6, 2005 15:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 1 hour after departure, in cruise flight about 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl), the engine experienced a sudden loss of engine rpm. The engine stopped producing power, but the propeller continued to windmill. During the descent, the pilot applied carburetor heat, switched magnetos, switched fuel tanks, and adjusted the mixture and the throttle in an attempt to restart the engine. The engine failed to restart, and at 1,000 feet in the descent, the pilot abandoned attempts to restart the engine. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane struck an embankment with the nose landing gear, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the wreckage by FAA inspectors revealed no pre-impact anomalies. The engine started and ran on the airplane after the accident. Interpolation of a carburetor icing probability chart revealed that atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to "serious icing at glide power."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons over unsuitable terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/6/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Princeton
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42445
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 370656N
Event Location Longitude 0875120W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 147
Weather Observation Facility ID HOP
Elevation of weather observation facility 573
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18987
NTSB Notification Source SRCC
NTSB Notification Date Mar 6 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1826
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 7:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Louisville, Kentucky

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8211X
NTSB Number IAD05LA041
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 172B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172248711
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Feb 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 1641
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name David L. Allan
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Austin
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73301
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code M88
Departure City NASHVILLE
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1H0
Destination City ST LOUIS
Destination State MO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 4 2005 2:21PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --