Cessna 172N accident near Havre De Grace, Maryland, September 17, 1992
On September 17, 1992, a Cessna 172N, registered N7396E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Havre De Grace, Maryland. 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
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT INCLUDE THE EXISTENCE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING AND THE ROUGH TERRAIN ON WHICH THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1992
- Place
- Havre De Grace, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7396E · no longer on the register · serial 17272105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING AND FUELING THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE 'GRADUALLY LOST RPM' AND HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT 'A LITTLE BIT'. ALL POWER WAS LOST AND HE EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN A FIELD AND BOUNCED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE 'PUSHED DOWN ON THE YOKE' TO GET IT BACK ON THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE THEN NOSED OVER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. ACCORDING TO THE DOT/FAA/CT82/44 PUBLICATION: LIGHT AIRCRAFT PISTON ENGINE CARBURETOR ICE DETECTOR/WARNING DEVICE SENSITIVITY/EFFECTIVENESS, THE PREVAILING TEMPERATURE AND DEWPOINT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT PRODUCED A PROBABILITY OF CARBURETOR ICING AT GLIDE AND CRUISE POWER.
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: 103 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,498 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 1992; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: International Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: AIY Atlantic City NJ at 10:50 pm
- Destination: FDK Frederick MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:58 pm from APG, 5 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.