Cessna 172P N658NV

Summary

On 27 May 2024 at about 20:20 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N658NV was involved in an accident near Citronelle, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 May 2024 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Citronelle, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

31.0500, -88.1500

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N658NV

Category

Airplane

Year built

1981

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Crystal Springs → Milton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA232

1 person was seriously injured.

A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of a fuel vent line that was clogged by an insect nest.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The owner reported that the airplane had been idle for 25 years before he purchased it and had an annual inspection performed. The accident pilot, who was a friend of the owner, then performed a 45-minute local flight before departing on the accident flight to take the airplane from Mississippi to Florida. The pilot stated that, during cruise flight, the engine began to surge and run erratically before it lost all power. The pilot selected a field for a forced landing, but “lacked the energy for a proper flare,” and the airplane landed hard, resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the cockpit and cabin area revealed that the copilot and rear seats were not installed. There was no carpeting nor interior trim panels installed, and unsecured insulation was exposed. One blanket of insulation hung free from the ceiling. Instruments and radios were labeled “Inop” across the instrument panel. A postaccident test run of the engine revealed no anomalies. The fuel tank vent tube located near the leading edge of the left wing was found obstructed by a compacted organic material consistent with mud dauber nesting. According to the manufacturer, a blocked fuel vent can result in fuel starvation, a loss of engine power, and complete engine stoppage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.