Cessna 172P accident near Maple Lake, Minnesota, October 17, 1991
On October 17, 1991 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N97984, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maple Lake, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1991 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Maple Lake, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N97984 · registry record · serial 17276244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 1,500' AGL. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND MADE A FORCED LANDING I A PLOWED FIELD. POST CRASH INSPECTION DISCLOSED AMPLE FUEL AND NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME. THE CARBURETOR AIR BOX WAS CRUSHED DURING THE ACCIDENT. ONCE THE DAMAGED AIR BOX WAS REPLACE, THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY. THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE HAD RUN FINE FOR THE 30 MINUTES HE HAD FLOWN PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF POWER. ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS FOR THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS PLACE THE LIKELIHOOD OF CARBURETOR ICING AS MINIMAL.
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: 64 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 27 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 13, 1991; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-02T (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Crystal Shamrock, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Y33 Maple Lake MN at 5:26 pm
- Destination: 57Y Sandstone MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 16 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Observation at 5:50 pm from STC, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N97984 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CHI92LA008.