Cessna 172E accident near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, September 19, 2015
On September 19, 2015 at about 2:43 pm local time, a 1963 Cessna 172E, registered N3647S, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach speed during the forced landing, which resulted in impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2015 · about 2:43 pm local time
- Place
- Gettysburg, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E E, built 1963 · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N3647S · no longer on the register · serial 17250847
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot, who was also the airplane owner, was conducting a local personal flight. About 30 minutes after takeoff, during a descent from 3,000 to 1,500 ft mean sea level, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power; the pilot then attempted a forced landing to a grass field. The airplane's approach speed was too fast for landing and the airplane overflew the selected field, eventually impacting trees at the edge of an adjacent field. Subsequent examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Before the accident flight, the airplane had been stored for an extended period with automotive fuel in the tanks. Although long-term storage with automotive fuel can lead to varnish or gum deposits that may block or restrict fuel flow, the newly-replaced carburetor was found full of fuel with no foreign material or deposits present, and fuel was observed to flow freely from the fuel tanks to the carburetor during postaccident testing. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide engine power settings when using aviation-grade gasoline. Given that the use of automotive gasoline is known to result in the formation of carburetor icing at higher ambient temperature and lower humidity conditions than aviation gasoline, it is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid type
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,096 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 438 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,181 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 2013; 1 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-300-D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 34PA Gettysburg PA
- Destination: 34PA Gettysburg PA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from RYT, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.