Cessna 172 accident near Union Mills, North Carolina, December 24, 2017
On December 24, 2017 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 172, registered N91SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Union Mills, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat in weather conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and a subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 2017 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Union Mills, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1978 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N91SP · no longer on the register · serial 17271100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was practicing landing approaches to a private airstrip that he was constructing. According to the pilot, while flying about treetop height with full flaps deployed, he added full power to initiate a climb; the engine "sputtered" and stopped producing power. He then performed a forced landing to the unimproved airstrip. During the landing, the airplane "bounced," departed the side of the cleared area, entered the woods, and sustained substantial damage. When asked about the performance and handling of the airplane, the pilot said it was "perfect." He stated that the reason for the loss of engine power was carburetor ice and that he had not used carburetor heat for the low approach and pass over the airstrip. The weather conditions in the area at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing at cruise power. Therefore, it is likely that the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat resulted in an accumulation of ice within the carburetor that led to a total loss of engine power.
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 approach defining event
- Fuel related during approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,700 hours in all; 3,400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,034.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 1,700 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Union Mills NC
- Destination: Union Mills NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:05 pm from KFQD, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 4, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.