Cessna 172 accident near Manassas, Virginia, April 15, 2024
On April 15, 2024, a 1961 Cessna 172, registered N8337X, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Manassas, Virginia (Manassas Regional Airport/Harr). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to apply carburetor heat before reducing engine power during a prolonged descent while operating in environmental conditions conducive to the development of carburetor ice, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2024
- Place
- Manassas, Virginia · Manassas Regional Airport/Harr · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 C, built 1961 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8337X · registry record · serial 17248837
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight at 5,500 ft mean sea level (msl) before he reduced engine power to comply with air traffic control descent instructions. The pilot did not apply carburetor heat at any time during the descent from 5,500 ft to 2,000 ft. At 2,000 ft msl, with the destination airport in sight, he applied throttle, but the engine did not respond. The pilot informed the tower controller that the “motor was unresponsive” and was cleared to land. The airplane touched down in a grassy area on airport property short of the runway, collided with a drainage culvert, and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and the right-wing lift strut. Although low compression was noted in two cylinders during the postaccident engine examination, that condition was attributed to leakage past the intake valves and likely would not have resulted in the total loss of engine power reported by the pilot. Review of weather information indicated that the airplane was operating in an area conducive to the development of serious carburetor ice at glide or idle engine power settings. It is likely that the carburetor accumulated ice during the prolonged descent without the use of carburetor heat, which resulted in the 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
- Landing area undershoot during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Fuel related during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,329 hours in all; 2,329 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,252 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 21, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,614 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2023; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 7,543 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SYM Morehead KY at 9:48 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from KHEF
Weather report (METAR): KHEF 142356Z 21010G15KT 10SM CLR 25/09 A2970 RMK AO2 SLP062 T02500089 10278 20250 56011
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Digital Photograph From Airplane Owner. Left Side View of the Airplane Following Recovery
Photograph 2 – Digital Photograph From Airplane Owner. Right Side View of the Airplane Following Recovery. Note the Substantial Damage to the Vertical Stabilizer
Photograph 3 – Digital Photograph From Airport Personnel. View of Damaged Right Wing Lift StrutThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on January 14, 2025. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of NTSB Conversation | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Excerpts from Owner's Manual | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Memorandum for Record - Temperature and Dew Point Information | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Carburetor Icing Probability Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | FAA Chronological Summary of Flight Communications | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Automatic Dependent Surveillance A�� Broadcast (ADS-B) Tabular Data | spreadsheet | Download |
| 9 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 10 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.