Cessna 172P N53725

Summary

On 23 December 2023 at about 20:00 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N53725 was involved in an accident near Kahului, Hawaii, United States. 3 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

23 December 2023 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Kahului, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Kahului Airport (PHOG)

Coordinates

20.8937, -156.4555

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N53725

Category

Airplane

Year built

1981

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kahului → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC24LA011

Nobody was injured.

A partial loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice, which resulted in the inability to maintain altitude in the traffic pattern. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot’s delayed use of carburetor heat in conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor ice.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after five touch-and-go landings, while on the base leg of the traffic pattern, the engine lost partial power. The pilot applied carburetor heat, switched the fuel tanks, and pumped the throttle, but engine power remained at idle. The pilot was unable to reach the runway and performed a forced landing short of the runway. Upon touchdown, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing at glide power. Although the pilot reported that he used carburetor heat after experiencing the loss of engine power, it is likely that the ice had already accumulated to the degree that the carburetor heat was insufficient to melt the ice and restore full engine power. Based on the available information, it is likely that the partial loss of engine power was a result of the formation of carburetor ice. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.