Cessna 172N accident near Elkton, Virginia, November 3, 1990
On November 3, 1990 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N902ZZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elkton, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT WHICH RESULTED IN A REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER. A FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 1990 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Elkton, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N902ZZ · no longer on the register · serial 17273595
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE DESCENDED INTO A VALLEY AND THEN HE APPLIED FULL POWER TO CLIMB. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, SHORTLY AFTER HE APPLIED POWER, THE ENGINE PARTIALLY LOST POWER. DECREASING TO ABOUT 1650 RPM. THE PLT DECIDED THAT TOTAL POWER LOST WAS IMMINENT, SO HE LANDED STRAIGHT HEAD INTO TREES ON STEEP SLOPING TERRAIN. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT USE CARBURETOR HEAT. THE ENGINE OPERATED SATISFACTORILY DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT TEST. THE LOCAL TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT WAS 77/42 DEGS F. CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO INDUCTION ICING, ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY DATA.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 570 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,752 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 1989; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hanover Aviation CO.
The flight
- Departed from: W83 Ashland VA at 2:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from CHO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.