Cessna 172 accident near Harrison, Ohio, December 19, 2019
On December 19, 2019, a 1965 Cessna 172, registered N5406R, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Harrison, Ohio (Cincinnati West airport). It was an instructional 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
A total loss of engine power during approach to land due to carburetor icing during a simulated engine failure, which resulted in impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2019
- Place
- Harrison, Ohio · Cincinnati West · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 F, built 1965 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5406R · registry record · serial 17252945
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and pilot were conducting simulated instrument training when, following a missed approach, the flight instructor simulated an engine failure. The pilot responded by entering a power-off approach to the nearest runway and applied the carburetor heat as part of his loss-of-engine-power procedure. About 200 ft above ground level, the flight instructor advanced the throttle to clear the engine; however, the engine lost all power. The flight instructor took control of the airplane but was unable to avoid impacting trees during the approach. The airplane touched down momentarily on a road before becoming airborne again and landing on the runway. After inspecting the airplane and observing no damage to the landing gear or propeller, the flight instructor started the engine and taxied to the hangar. The engine started without difficulty and seemed to run normally during the taxi. The left wing sustained substantial damage during the impact with trees and the fence. A postaccident engine examination did not reveal any anomalies consistent with an inability to produce rated power. FAA guidance regarding carburetor icing indicated the possibility of icing at glide power given the atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident. The airplane owner's manual did not include a specific emergency checklist for a loss of engine power. The before landing checklist noted that the carburetor heat should be applied before reducing power. Although there was only a slight possibility of carburetor icing, the delay from the time the flight instructor reduced engine power to idle to the time that the pilot applied the carburetor heat likely allowed some level of carburetor icing to accumulate, which resulted in a loss of engine power when power was applied during the approach.
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
- Simulated/training event during approach (IFR missed approach)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Fuel related during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,898 hours in all; 786 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 6,019 as pilot in command; 421 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 7, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 147 hours in all; 126 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 3, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,186.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 2019; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 3,187 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I67 Harrison OH at 10:30 pm
- Destination: I67 Harrison OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 2,808 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on February 28, 2020. 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 | Flight Instructor Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | E-mail Correspondence -- Flight Instructor | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Accident Site Diagram | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | FAA Information Bulletin -- Carburetor Icing | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | 1965 Cessna 172 Owner's Manual | PDF, 56 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.