Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 172M N13341

2 February 1991 · Nashua, New Hampshire, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 2 February 1991 at about 14:30 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N13341, operated by TYE A. Merrill, was involved in an accident near Nashua, New Hampshire, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 14:30
Classification
Accident
Location
Nashua, New Hampshire, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Cessna 172M
Registration
N13341
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
TYE A. Merrill
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Nashua → Westfield
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
NYC91LA070

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
4 0 0 0 4

Probable cause

FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION BY OTHER PERSONNEL WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT ENGINE FAILURE AND A SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING IN UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CESSNA 172 WAS AT 1500 FEET ALTITUDE JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A GRAVEL PIT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED A 'JELL TYPE SUBSTANCE COMPLETELY FILLING THE ACCELERATOR PUMP HOUSING.' IT WAS REPORTED AN UNKNOWN PERSON PUT AUTOMOBILE DRY GAS INTO THE FUEL TANKS THE DAY BEFORE THE FLIGHT. INVESTIGATORS WERE ABLE TO PRODUCE A SUBSTANCE IDENTICAL TO THE ONE FOUND, BY MIXING DRY GAS, AVIATION FUEL AND WATER AND THEN FREEZING THE MIXTURE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE STARTED USING NORMAL PROCEDURES. THE PRIMER HAD TO BE USED REPEATEDLY, AND EVEN THEN THE ENGINE RAN ROUGHLY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 172 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
7 Apr 1991 Cessna 172P
N9671A
College Park, Maryland, United States Civil Air Patrol, Inc. No injuries -
25 Apr 1991 Cessna 172
N66717
Detroit, Michigan, United States
no coordinates
Eximous Flying Club, Inc. No injuries -
24 Jul 1991 Cessna 172N
N5352D
Napa, California, United States Bridgeford Flying SVC. No injuries -
9 Apr 1991 Cessna 172H
N3781F
Morehead, Kentucky, United States Roger Wend Minor injuries -
5 Apr 1991 Cessna 172A
N9852T
Hood River, Oregon, United States Paul J. Welp No injuries -
31 Mar 1991 Cessna 172M
N6852H
Ogden, Utah, United States Alta Aircraft No injuries -

All 12,209 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
9 Jul 1991 Cessna L-19
N5237G
Franconia, New Hampshire, United States
no coordinates
Stanley Parker, JR. No injuries -
1 Aug 1991 Piper PA-12
N4436M
Alton, New Hampshire, United States
no coordinates
William Grahn No injuries -
25 Aug 1991 Grumman AA5B
N4518B
Hampton, New Hampshire, United States
no coordinates
Richard Laflamme No injuries -
3 Aug 1991 Laurent A Cloutier BD-5B
N245BD
Gilford, New Hampshire, United States
no coordinates
Laurent A. Cloutier Minor injuries -
29 Sep 1991 North American T-6G
N3167G
Manchester, New Hampshire, United States
no coordinates
Albert Costa No injuries -
6 Sep 1991 Homebuilt AVID FLYER
N91JK
Keene, New Hampshire, United States
no coordinates
Joseph T. Kohler No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States