Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belhaven, North Carolina 27810
Sunday, December 4, 2011 16:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was maneuvering the airplane over a marshy area about 700 feet above ground level. The airplane was in a left turn when the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot continued the left turn and made a forced landing, during which the airplane struck a small tree, the nose landing gear separated, and the airplane rotated about 180 degrees. Postaccident examination of the engine assembly revealed no malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Review of the local weather conditions and the Federal Aviation Administration’s carburetor icing probability chart indicated that conditions were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide, but not at cruise, power settings. It was not possible to determine what engine power settings the pilot used during the accident flight maneuvers.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Belhaven
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27810
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 353050N
Event Location Longitude 0762846W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID OCW
Elevation of weather observation facility 38
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.39
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31064
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 14 2013 4:33PM
User who most recently changed record gots
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2344U
NTSB Number ERA12LA101
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 172D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17249944
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
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 7 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 2566
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name COLLIER KENNETH E
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BELHAVEN
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27810-8951
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Robert D. Armstrong
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Belhaven
Operator State NC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 27810
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 --
Departure City Belhaven
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Belhaven
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 10 2013 1:27PM
User who most recently changed record reej
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --