Cessna 172P accident near Wildwood, New Jersey, July 6, 1997
On July 6, 1997 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N97011, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wildwood, New Jersey (Cape May County 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
The pilot's inadequate use of carburetor heat, which resulted in carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1997 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wildwood, New Jersey · Cape May County Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N97011 · no longer on the register · serial 17276145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a 1 hour cruise flight, the pilot established a straight in approach to the landing runway. The pilot set the flaps to 10 degrees, the carburetor heat on, and noticed he was 'slightly low for landing.' He then increased the throttle, but there was no increase in power. According to the pilot at this point he checked that the primer was in and the mixture was full rich. The pilot added that he realized he was not going to make the runway, so he started to look for an alternate landing area. The airplane then struck a tree, and came to rest in a pond. Fuel was found in the wing tanks, and a post accident run of the engine was satisfactory. A carburetor icing chart revealed the conditions were conducive for moderate icing for cruise power, and serious icing for glide 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 192 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 123 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,319 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Caldwell NJ at 10:15 pm
- Destination: WWD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:40 pm from WWD
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.