Cessna 172 accident near Statesville, North Carolina, June 24, 1993
On June 24, 1993 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N7817X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesville, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper use of carburetor heat by the pilot. A factor in the accident was the carburetor icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1993 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N7817X · no longer on the register · serial 17248317
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT UNDER OVERCAST CLOUDS. HE STATED THAT HE WAS FORCED TO DESCEND DUE TO DECREASING CLOUD HEIGHTS. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 71(F), AND THE DEW POINT WAS 63(F). THE CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART SHOWS THIS COMBINATION TO BE IN SERIOUS ICING CONDITIONS AT GLIDE POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT FOR THREE SECONDS ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THE ENGINE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE WHEN POWER WAS ADDED. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS EXECUTED, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A FENCE DURING THE LANDING, AND NOSED OVER.
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: 105 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 28, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5W8 Siler City NC at 12:45 pm
- Destination: MRN Morganton NC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from HKY, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.