Cessna 172 N388TC

Summary

On 13 September 2022 at about 15:32 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N388TC was involved in an accident near Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. 2 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.

Date

13 September 2022 at 15:32

Classification

Accident

Location

Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Lovell Fld (CHA)

Coordinates

35.0221, -85.2084

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N388TC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1956

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22LA413

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to of carburetor ice. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to apply carburetor heat.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the right landing gear contacted an unseen object while landing on an unimproved surface, which resulted in the tundra tire losing air pressure. After aborting the landing, he flew to an airport where he declared an emergency and advised air traffic control that he intended to land in the grass adjacent to the runway. The pilot made two low passes over a grassy area and, during climb-out from the second low pass, the engine lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing to uneven terrain outside the airport fence, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination and engine test run did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive for serious icing at glide power. The pilot did not report using carburetor heat. It is likely that during multiple low passes prior to landing that carburetor ice accumulated, which resulted in a loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.