Cessna 172M accident near Edinburg, Virginia, September 18, 2002
On September 18, 2002 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N5033H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edinburg, Virginia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2002 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Edinburg, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N5033H · registry record · serial 17265308
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was to complete a biennial flight review (BFR), for the owner of the airplane. While en route to the destination airport, the airplane began to shake several times, and then the engine lost power. At an altitude of 1,200 feet, the CFI prepared for a forced landing to a field, and just prior to touchdown the airplane entered a "full stall situation" and impacted the bank of a ravine. Examination of the airplane revealed fuel in the gascolator, carburetor bowl, and fuel lines to the engine. The engine was test run on the airframe, and it started and ran continuously for several minutes without hesitation, through a range of power settings from 700 to 2150 RPM.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,600 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,578 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 5,155 as pilot in command; 1,800 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,500.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2002; 0.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HGR Hagerstown MD at 7:15 pm
- Destination: SHD Shenandoah VA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 8:24 pm from SHD, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.