Cessna 172 accident near Clearfield, Pennsylvania, September 3, 2022
On September 3, 2022 at about 8:35 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna 172, registered N9619H, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Clearfield, Pennsylvania (Clearfield-Lawrence Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A sudden partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in an off-airport landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2022 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Clearfield, Pennsylvania · Clearfield-Lawrence Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1975 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N9619H · no longer on the register · serial 17266269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During initial climb, about 300 ft above ground level, the airplane’s engine began shaking and lost partial power. The pilot lowered the nose and saw that the airplane was still over the runway but too close to the end to land on the remaining runway. He made a “hard” left turn in an attempt to land on the runway in the opposite direction. He also turned the fuel selector to off in preparation for an off-airport impact. The engine subsequently lost all power (due to the fuel being turned off), and the airplane impacted a field, coming to rest upright in a wooded area at the edge of the field. A postaccident compression check performed when the engine was cold revealed no compression on the No. 1 cylinder and low compression on the No. 3 cylinder; however, the engine was subsequently started and run at idle power, with no anomalies noted. After shutdown, removal of the Nos. 1 and 3 cylinders revealed scoring on the No. 1 piston skirt and cylinder wall. The scoring was consistent with material entering the cylinder as a result of tappet to camshaft wearing, which also would have affected the intake and exhaust valves opening and closing properly. While this condition may have reduced the engine’s ability to produce full takeoff power; it would not have resulted in the sudden loss of engine performance described by the pilot. Given the engine’s subsequent normal operation postaccident, the reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 604 hours in all; 91 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 6, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,338 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 2022; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 18,338 hours total
The flight
- Destination: HNZ Henderson NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,499 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from FIG
Weather report (METAR): METAR KFIG 022054Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM CLR 25/16 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP230 T02500156 58006=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on March 7, 2024. 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Excerpts from Maintenance Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 9 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.