Cessna 172N accident near Show Low, Arizona, January 12, 1992
On January 12, 1992 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N1571E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Show Low, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX ATTACH STRAPS WHICH ALLOWED THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX TO SEPARATE FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT MUFF AND RENDERED THE CARBURETOR HEAT SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. THE ENGINE THEN LOST POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1992 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Show Low, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N1571E · registry record · serial 17271049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE ON AN IFR FLIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE AND ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY THE SITUATION WERE UNSUCCESSFUL WITH THE ENGINE EVENTUALLY LOOSING ALL POWER. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH ALBUQUERQUE CENTER AND WAS RADAR VECTORED TOWARD THE SHOW LOW AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT WAS INTERMITTENTLY IN CLOUDS DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT AND BROKE OUT AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE AIRPORT AND LANDED IN THE ONLY AVAILABLE LOCATION, A FIELD ABOUT 23 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. DURING ROLL OUT, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX HAD SEPARATED FROM THE HEAT MUFF OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND WAS HANGING LOOSE IN THE COWLING ATTACHED ONLY BY THE FABRIC HOSE. A METAL BAND WHICH ATTACHES THE CARB HEAT BOX TO THE MUFF HAD SEPARATED. CHAFFING ON THE COWLING IN THE AREA OF WHERE THE HEAT BOX WAS HANGING INDICATED IT HAD BEEN SEPARATED FOR SOME TIME. THE LAST 100 HOUR INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED 80 OPERATING HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 171 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 122 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 30, 1991; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: K & M Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ at 2:30 pm
- Destination: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from SOW, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.