Cessna 172C accident near Grand Island, Nebraska, July 18, 2001
On July 18, 2001 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172C, registered N1860Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Island, Nebraska. It was an instructional 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 procedures for using carburetor heat not followed by the student pilot and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing. Additional factors included the carburetor icing conditions, the carburetor icing, the student pilot's lack of experience, and the crop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2001 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Island, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172C · all 172Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1860Y · registry record · serial 17249460
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had a loss of engine power and sustained substantial damaged during a forced landing to a cornfield. The student pilot initiated a descent from 6,500 feet msl about 10 miles from the destination airport. He reported he contacted the tower and, "Soon thereafter the engine sputtered and stopped." The student pilot attempted an engine air start but was unsuccessful. He reported he was unable to land at the airport. At 400 feet agl, he saw power lines running north and south so he turned north to avoid the power lines and landed cross row in a cornfield. During the landing roll, the airplane started to nose over and then "cart wheeled" and came to rest on its main landing gear. There were no preexisting anomalies to the airframe or engine. The engine was test run and it started without hesitation. The 1056 observed weather at GRI was: wind 130 degrees at 6 knots, sky clear, visibility 10 miles, temperature 29 degrees C, dew point 20 degrees C, altimeter 29.87. According to the Transport Canada "Carburetor Icing Graph", the existing weather conditions at GRI were in the region of "Serious icing - descent power." The FAA issued Advisory Circular (AC) 20-113, "Pilot Precautions and Procedures To Be Taken In Preventing Aircraft Reciprocating Engine Induction System and Fuel System Icing Problems." The AC stated, "...the pilot should regularly use heat under conditions known to be conducive to atmospheric icing..." in order to prevent accidents due to induction system icing. One of the procedures to reduce the likelihood of induction system icing stated, "Heat should be applied for a short time to warm the induction system before beginning a prolonged descent with the engine throttled and left on during the descent. Power lever advancement should be performed periodically during descent to assure that power recovery can be achieved. The pilot should be prepared to turn heat off after power is regained to resume level flight or initiate a go-around from an abandoned approach." The student pilot had a total of 41 hours of flight time.
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: student
- Flight time: 41 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNK Lincoln NE at 3:10 pm
- Destination: GRI Grand Island NE
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from GRI, 10 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.
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.