Cessna 172S accident near Traverse City, Michigan, May 10, 2022
On May 10, 2022 at about 9:26 pm local time, a 2010 Cessna 172S, registered N184NW, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Traverse City, Michigan. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of maintenance personnel to properly torque a fuel line “B” nut, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2022 · about 9:26 pm local time
- Place
- Traverse City, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2010 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N184NW · registry record · serial 172S11085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction was on a visual approach to the runway during an instructional flight, at which time the engine lost total power. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and made multiple attempts to restart the engine, which were unsuccessful. The flight instructor declared an emergency and executed a forced landing to a park area about 1 mile north of the runway. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted terrain and a perimeter fence. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right wing and engine mount. Examination of the engine and fuel system revealed a loose “B” nut fitting on the fuel line between the fuel injector and fuel manifold. The engine had recently been installed by maintenance personnel; the airplane had flown about 2.7 hours after the installation and before the accident. There was no visible impact damage to the “B” nut on the line or the fitting. Given this evidence, the “B” nut on the fuel line was likely not properly tightened during engine installation, which allowed the nut to loosen with normal engine vibration and allowed air to enter the system which resulted in total loss of engine 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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach defining event
- Fuel starvation during approach
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 490 hours in all; 477 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 424 as pilot in command; 319 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 194 hours in all; 183 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 92 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,589 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2022; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 10,187 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLR Gaylord MI at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KTVC, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTVC 102153Z 16011G18KT 10SM BKN060 BKN070 32/18 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP151 T03220183
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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 CEN22LA194.