Cessna 172N accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, May 9, 1998
On May 9, 1998 at about 1:43 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733LW, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida. It was an instructional 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
the dual student's failure to use carburetor heat while circling at a reduced power setting, and the flight instructor's failure to properly supervise the student.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1998 · about 1:43 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733LW · no longer on the register · serial 17268384
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While circling at 600 feet agl, awaiting an IFR clearance, the engine sputtered once and continued to run. After receiving the IFR clearance the dual student added power to climb to the assigned altitude and the engine sputtered and lost power. The flight instructor took control and a forced landing was made in a field. After the accident, uncontaminated fuel was found in the airframe and engine fuel systems. The engine was started and operated to full power with no signs of mechanical failure or malfunction. The carburetor icing system operated normally. Icing probability curves showed the aircraft was operating in conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power and visible carburetor icing at glide and cruise 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 940 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 870 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,790 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 10, 1998; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunquest Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: F45 FL at 1:30 pm
- Destination: EYW Key West FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from PBI, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.