Cessna 172H accident near New Braintree, Massachusetts, September 2, 1992
On September 2, 1992 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N2458L, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Braintree, Massachusetts. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WATER CONTAMINATED FUEL WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1992 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- New Braintree, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2458L · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE AIRPLANE LOST POWER INFLIGHT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND IT WAS FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD. THE NEXT DAY, A DIFFERENT PILOT REFUELED THE AIRPLANE WITH SIX GALLONS OF FUEL IN EACH TANK. THE PILOT STATED HE CHECKED THE FUEL AT THE THREE DRAIN LOCATIONS. HE TOWED THE AIRPLANE UP A HILL, AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT OFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT DID A FORCE LANDING. THE LANDING WAS ON SOFT TERRAIN AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO NOSE DOWN. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER. THE EXAMINATION ALSO DISCLOSED THE FUEL STRAINER WAS INOPERATIVE.
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; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 8B5 Barre MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from ORH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO92LA121.