Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

East Bend, North Carolina 27018
Saturday, September 1, 2012 13:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot completed an uneventful preflight inspection and engine run-up before takeoff. However, as the airplane climbed to about 100 feet above the ground, it experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine, so he performed a forced landing to a corn field. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The airplaneā€™s fuel tanks contained about 21 gallons of uncontaminated aviation gasoline. The airplane had been operated about 19 hours in the 3 months since its most recent annual inspection, and the engine had been operated about 1,830 hours since it was overhauled. Although weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power, the investigation was unable to determine the cause of the power loss.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1320
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City East Bend
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27018
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 360831N
Event Location Longitude 0803155w
Event Location Airport Private Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 850
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1054 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID INT
Elevation of weather observation facility 970
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
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) 30.19
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31135
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 Mar 22 2013 3:42PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N377SP
NTSB Number ERA12LA545
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172E
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17251703
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Jun 2 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 2823
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Joe F. Marler
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City East Bend
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27018
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Joe F. Marler
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City East Bend
Operator State NC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 27018
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City East Bend
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1320
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MTV
Destination City Martinsville
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 10 2013 2:23PM
User who most recently changed record reej
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --