Cessna R172E accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia, November 15, 1988
On November 15, 1988 at about 1:45 am local time, a Cessna R172E, registered N96164, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia (Gwinnett County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER REPAIR AND/OR MODIFICATION OF THE CARBURETOR AIRBOX BY UNKNOWN PERSON(S), AND THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO DETECT THE IMPROPER REPAIR/MODIFICATION DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION(S), WHICH LED TO A LOSS OF POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PRESENCE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 1988 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Georgia · Gwinnett County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172E · all R172Es on the register
- Registration
- N96164 · no longer on the register · serial R172-0081
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI & STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LNDGS AT NIGHT WHEN THE ENG LOST PWR SHORTLY AFTER THE 5TH TOUCH-&-GO. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DMGD WHEN IT WAS LNDD IN TREES. DRG AN EXAM OF THE ENG, DARK, SOOTY DEPOSITS WERE FOUND ON ALL SPARK PLUGS. THE PLUGS WERE REINSTALLED & AN OPNL CHECK OF THE ENG WAS MADE. THE ENG STARTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY & DEVELOPED PWR WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS OPENED. A FURTHER EXAM REVEALED THAT THE CARB HEAT DOOR ON THE CARB AIRBOX WOULD NOT MOVE TO THE FULL ON POSITION WHEN THE CARB HEAT CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED. THE AIRBOX HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY MODIFIED AND/OR REPAIRED. NO ENTRIES WERE FOUND IN THE ACFT LOGS CONCERNING THE AIRBOX. THE ACFT HAD FLOWN APRX 97 HRS SINCE THE PREVIOUS ANNUAL INSPN APRX 5 MOS BEFORE THE ACDNT. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 61 & 45 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICE. THE CFI RPRTD THE CARB HEAT WAS USED PRIOR TO EACH LNDG.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,160 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,359 as pilot in command; 1,347 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,249 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1988; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from AHN, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.