Cessna 175 accident near Mears, Michigan, November 8, 2003
On November 8, 2003 at about 7:28 pm local time, a Cessna 175, registered N9275B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mears, Michigan. 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
Loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the pilot's delayed application of carburetor heat during descent. A factor was the carburetor icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 2003 · about 7:28 pm local time
- Place
- Mears, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N9275B · no longer on the register · serial 55075
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing to a field. The pilot reported that the airplane operated normally during taxi, run-up, and takeoff. He departed the pattern and climbed to 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl). He reported he flew over a wooded area and reduced the power from 3,000 rpm to 2,600 rpm, and started a shallow descent. He made a wide circle over a wooded area until he was heading south along a lakeshore. He reported that he added power when he was at 2,000 feet msl, but the engine "didn't produce any thrust." He pulled the carburetor heat on but "the engine still didn't respond." He turned back to the airport and continued to attempt to get the engine to produce more power. The pilot reported he did not have enough altitude to make it back to the airport so he executed a forced landing to a field. During landing roll the airplane nosed over. After unbuckling the shoulder harness and seatbelt, he exited the airplane uninjured. The inspection of the airplane revealed no pre-existing anomalies. At 1435, the weather reported approximately 19 nautical miles to the north, was temperature minus 1 degrees Celsius, and dew point minus 4 degrees Celsius. The Transport Canada Carburetor Icing Chart indicates that with a temperature of minus 1 degree Celsius and a dew point of minus 4 degrees Celsius, the potential for "Serious Icing - any power" or "Serious Icing - descent power" exists.
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: 420 hours in all; 386 in this make and model; 350 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 24, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,677 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 2003; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C04 Shelby MI at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,900 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Observation at 7:35 pm from LDM, 18 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.
Other NTSB records under N9275B 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.