Cessna 170 accident near Mooresville, North Carolina, June 12, 1993
On June 12, 1993 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N1619D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mooresville, North Carolina (Lake Norman airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR MAINTENANCE PRACTICES DURING THE REBUILDING OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH ALLOWED THE FUEL SYSTEM TO BECOME CONTAMINATED AND RESULTED IN THE SUBSEQUENT FUEL STARVATION OF THE ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1993 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mooresville, North Carolina · Lake Norman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N1619D · registry record · serial 20261
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE FLEW SEVERAL MINUTES AROUND THE LOCAL AREA AND RETURNED TO LAKE NORMAN AIRPORT FOR A FULL STOP LANDING. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CLIMB OUT FOR ANOTHER APPROACH. DURING THE CLIMB, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER, AND THE PILOT'S EFFORTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER FAILED; THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AS THE PILOT MANEUVERED FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE FUEL SYSTEM EXAMINATION REVEALED 'HAIR LIKE' MATERIALS, AND 'SAND LIKE' DEBRIS BETWEEN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND THE GASCOLATOR WHICH RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW. AFTER THE DEBRIS WAS REMOVED, FUEL FLOWED TO THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ONE OF THE PREVIOUS OWNERS LEFT THE FUEL SYSTEM OPEN FOR AN EXTENDED TIME DURING REBUILDING OF THE AIRPLANE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 138 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,196 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1993; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from CLT, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.