Cessna 172G accident near Panacea, Florida, October 17, 1997
On October 17, 1997 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N4690L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panacea, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper use of carburetor heat resulting in loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and an in flight collision with trees during a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1997 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Panacea, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4690L · no longer on the register · serial 17254685
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing maneuvers at between 1,800 and 2,300 feet the engine began to run rough. The pilot applied carburetor heat but when that did not seem to have any effect he turned it off. The pilot continued the flight and descended to a lower altitude for additional maneuvers. He then noticed the engine had lost rpm and applied full throttle at which time the engine quit. A forced landing was made in trees. After the accident the carburetor heat was found off and all engine controls operated normally. The engine was run with no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. The aircraft was operating in conditions conducive to visible carburetor icing at cruise power and serious carburetor icing at glide 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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 130 hours in all; 95 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,016 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1997; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2J0 at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from TLH, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.