Cessna 182M accident near Piqua, Ohio, September 27, 2017
On September 27, 2017 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 182M, registered N70634, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Piqua, Ohio (Piqua Airport- Hartzell Field). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The accumulation of carburetor ice while operating at a reduced engine power setting, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on approach and a subsequent forced landing on unsuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 2017 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Piqua, Ohio · Piqua Airport- Hartzell Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M, built 1968 · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N70634 · registry record · serial 18259334
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, while approaching the destination airport, the engine lost total power. The pilot performed a forced landing, and the airplane impacted a cornfield. A postaccident examination of the wreckage, including the fuel system, revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was started, and it operated normally. Atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of moderate icing at cruise power and serious icing at descent power. The total loss of engine power was likely due to an accumulation of carburetor ice while operating at a reduced engine power setting.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,497.8 hours in all
- Last flight review: September 16, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,810.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470-R (piston); 1,813 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3I7 Phillipsburg OH at 3:00 pm
- Destination: I17 Piqua OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KVES, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on November 16, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Communication Summary, Inspector Middleton | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Miscellaneous Information - Carb Icing Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N70634 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.