Cessna 172 N5806A

Summary

On 16 November 1998 at about 04:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N5806A, operated by Young, Scot, M., was involved in an accident near Essex, Maryland, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 November 1998 at 04:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Essex, Maryland, United States

Coordinates

39.3005, -76.4403

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N5806A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Young, Scot, M.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wilkes-Barre → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

IAD99LA018

2 people had minor injuries.

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing and dark night conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot-in-command departed Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, approximately 2145 in the Cessna 172 destined for Essex, Maryland, 125 nautical miles (straight line) distant. He reported a total of 30 gallons of fuel aboard at departure (20 gallons having been purchased at Wilkes-Barre), and estimated a flight duration of 1.75 hours. According to the aircraft owner's manual, unusable fuel was 2.5 gallons per tank, and the maximum fuel consumption for the O-300-A engine at 2,500 feet above sea level is 12.6 gallons/hour (worst case scenario). Fuel consumption decreases as altitude is increased and/or RPM is decreased. Approaching his destination, the pilot descended from 3,500 feet 1,000 feet, entered the downwind, applied carburetor heat and initiated a left base turn at 700 feet. He reported that RPM dropped off, and unable to reach the airport, he ditched the aircraft in a river under dark night conditions approximately 2330 local. A post crash test run of the engine was inconclusive and approximately 6 gallons of fuel was recovered from within the right wing fuel tank with the remaining fluid from both tanks being water. Temperature/dew point near the time of the accident was 43/30 degrees F. and serious carburetor icing conditions may have existed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.