Cessna 172 accident near Chariton, Iowa, February 15, 1984
On February 15, 1984, a Cessna 172, registered N2502Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chariton, Iowa (Chariton Municipal airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1984
- Place
- Chariton, Iowa · Chariton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2502Y · registry record · serial 17249802
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LOST POWER DURING TAKEOFF AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A MUDDY FIELD. THE CFI SAID HE EXAMINED THE FUEL IN A SIGHTGLASS AFTER REFUELING THE ACFT AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY WATER IN THE FUEL. LATER EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT BY FAA SHOWED WATER IN THE FUEL FILTER AND TANKS. 4 INCHES OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE AIRPORT STORAGE TANK USED TO FUEL THE ACFT.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(TOTAL) - NONMECHANICAL during takeoff - initial climb
- FORCED LANDING during landing - flare/touchdown
- NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED during landing
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, AME, ASE, APLN, none
- Flight time: 917 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,015 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, May 10, 1983; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: CNC Chariton IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 17,000 ft; not recorded at 17,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°C, dew point 36°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N2502Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MKC84LA076.