Cessna 172 accident near Meadville, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1991
On April 27, 1991 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N739EC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meadville, Pennsylvania. 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 IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THE SUBSEQUENT EMERGENCY FORCED LANDING IN ROUGH TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF EXPERIENCE OF THE STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1991 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Meadville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N739EC · no longer on the register · serial 17270476
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY. WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 2000 FEET, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SAID, 'I DID THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND IT STARTED AGAIN, BUT IT QUIT VERY QUICKLY. I PICKED A FIELD TO LAND. IT WAS OK, UNTIL THE NOSE HIT SOME MUD AND FLIPPED ME OVER.' AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY THE FAA REVEALED NO DEFECTS. THE FAA REPORT SAID, 'THE ENGINE RUN UP SHOWED NO ABNORMAL READINGS...BOTH CARBURETOR AND FUEL SCREENS WERE...FREE OF CONTAMINATES...THE CARBURETOR HEAT, MIXTURE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CONTROL WERE INSPECTED: NO DEFECTS WERE NOTED.' THE LOCAL TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED AS 70 DEGREES F, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 51 DEGREES F. WHEN PLOTTED ON THE FAA CHART 'CONDITIONS FAVORING CARB ICING,' THE RESULT SHOWS AREA NUMBER 2, SERIOUS ICING AT 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: student
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Baron Aviation INC
The flight
- Destination: BKL Cleveland OH
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°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.