Cessna 150L accident near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, June 25, 1992
On June 25, 1992 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N1793Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gettysburg, 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 STUDENT PILOT'S DELAYED ACTION IN APPLYING CARBURETOR HEAT DURING CRUISE, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: WEATHER CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE FOR CARBURETOR ICING, THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLYING EXPERIENCE AND THE ROUGH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1992 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gettysburg, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1793Q · registry record · serial 15073093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKE OFF. SUSPECTING CARBURETOR ICE THE STUDENT PILOT THEN APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT. WHEN THE APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT FAILED TO IMMEDIATELY CORRECT THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, THE STUDENT PILOT DECIDED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE IN AN EMPTY FIELD. UPON TOUCHDOWN IN THE FIELD, THE AIRPLANE NOSE WHEEL STRUCK A HOLE CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO FLIP OVER. ACCORDING TO THE ICING PROBABILITY CURVES, CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF MODERATE 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: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: HGR Hagerstown MD at 2:20 pm
- Destination: AVP Wilkes-Barre PA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from MDT, 30 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.