Cessna 170 accident near Olive Branch, Mississippi, March 29, 1994
On March 29, 1994 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N2509V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olive Branch, Mississippi. 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT BEFORE REDUCING ENGINE POWER TO DESCEND RESULTING IN THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE FORCED LANDING AND THE CARBURETOR ICING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1994 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Olive Branch, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N2509V · registry record · serial 18012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DESCENDING THE PILOT REDUCED THE THROTTLE BUT DID NOT APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT. AFTER THE DESCENT THE PILOT APPLIED THROTTLE INPUT BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. AFTER TOUCHDOWN IN A FIELD THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND A FENCE. THE FAA EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK AND ENGINE STRAINER CONTAINED A SMALL QUANTITY OF WATER. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS IMPACT DAMAGED. ACCORDING TO AN ICING PROBABILITY CHART CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR VISIBLE ICING AT RATED POWER WITH A FLOAT TYPE CARBURETOR INSTALLED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,183 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 1993; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MEM, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.