Cessna 172 accident near Manville, New Jersey, September 24, 2019
On September 24, 2019 at about 4:05 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 172, registered N78192, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Manville, New Jersey (Central Jersey Rgnl airport). It was an instructional 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
A total loss of engine power due to the ingestion of sealant material that had loosened inside the carburetor airbox.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2019 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Manville, New Jersey · Central Jersey Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 K, built 1968 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N78192 · no longer on the register · serial 17257521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was approaching the airport to land at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. As he turned the airplane from the base to final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the engine started to run rough, and subsequently lost all power. He attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. He then performed a forced landing into 70-ft-tall treetops. The airplane came to rest in the treetops, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. Examination of the engine revealed two pieces of debris inside the carburetor airbox downstream from the air filter element. The debris was consistent with epoxy/sealant used during repairs of the airbox. The airbox appeared to have been repaired and patched several times, and some of the sealant on the repairs appeared to be loose. When the debris was placed in the carburetor venturi for reference, it blocked about 50 to 75% of the opening. If the sealant debris came loose inside the airbox while the engine was running, it is likely that it would follow the air path into the carburetor venturi and block the air flow into the carburetor. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor icing; however, the pilot reported applying the carburetor heat on the downwind traffic pattern leg and did not notice any anomalies with the engine at that time. Had significant ice built up in the carburetor during the descent, it is likely that the engine would run roughly soon after the application of the carburetor heat and continue to do so as the ice melted.
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 (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Air intake › Inadequate inspection
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 49 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,248 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 10, 2019; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 3,357 hours total
- Operator: Rtd Aviation Llc
The flight
- Departed from: ACY Atlantic City NJ at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,507 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from SMQ, 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
9 documents, released by the NTSB on March 10, 2022. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Instructor Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Statement from Previous Flight's Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Excerpts from Pilot Logbook | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Excerpts from Maintenance Logbook | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Memorandum for Record - Engine Examination | PDF, 4 pages | 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.