Cessna 172F accident near Cross Plains, Wisconsin, October 22, 1994
On October 22, 1994 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N7969U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cross Plains, Wisconsin. 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
the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat. Factors were carburetor icing conditions and rough/uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1994 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Cross Plains, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7969U · no longer on the register · serial 17251969
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS CRUISING AT 5,000 MSL AND REDUCED THE ENGINE RPM TO BETWEEN 1,000 AND 1,200 DURING A DESCENT TO 2,000 MSL. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL OFF WITH POWER THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A ROUGH/UNEVEN FIELD. HE TOLD AN INSPECTOR FROM THE FAA THAT HE PUMPED THE THROTTLE AND MOVED THE MIXTURE TO RICH, BUT HE DID NOT USE THE CARBURETOR HEAT. A WEATHER REPORTING STATION TEN MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS REPORTING A TEMPERATURE OF 60 DEGREES (F) AND A DEW POINT OF 51 DEGREES (F), AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
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: 740 hours in all; 60 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1994; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UES Waukesha WI at 2:30 pm
- Destination: UES
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from MSN, 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.