Cessna 172N accident near Dayton, Ohio, October 11, 1990
On October 11, 1990 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N2233E, was destroyed in an accident near Dayton, Ohio (Dayton General South airport). It was a personal 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
A CARBURETOR FIRE DUE TO AN ENGINE BACKFIRE. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION TAKEN BY THE PILOT TO EXTINGUISH THE ENGINE FIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 1990 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Ohio · Dayton General South · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2233E · no longer on the register · serial 17271196
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH DURING PRE-TAKEOFF RUNUP. WHILE TAXIING BACK TO HAVE THE AIRPLANE EXAMINED, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND QUIT. THE PILOT NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES AROUND THE COWLING SO HE SHUT OFF THE MAGNETOES, MASTER SWITCH, AND FUEL. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND STATED THAT, 'A CARBURETOR FIRE CAUSED BY AN ENGINE BACKFIRE RESULTED IN A DESTROYED AIRCRAFT.'
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
- Flight time: 251 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 251 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 1990; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,307 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.