Accident Cessna 172N N73849, Wednesday 9 January 1985

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Date:	Wednesday 9 January 1985
Time:	18:30 LT
Type:	Cessna 172N
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N73849
MSN:	17267720
Year of manufacture:	1976
Total airframe hrs:	1979 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-320-H2AD
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Houston, TX - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	(T17)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
INITIALLY, AFTER A TOP OVERHAUL, THE ENG WOULD NOT RUN. THE MECHANIC REMOVED THE CARBURETOR & FOUND A PIECE OF SILICON. AFTER REINSTALLING THE CARBURETOR, THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY. THE PLT THEN TOOK OFF ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLT. AS HE BEGAN A DESCENT BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, THE ENG STOPPED RUNNING & WOULD NOT RESTART, EXCEPT IT RESTARTED MOMENTARILY WHEN HE OPERATED THE PRIMER. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE ACFT HIT A RICE FIELD LEVEE & NOSED OVER. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE FUEL LINE HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE CARBURETOR AT A THREADED FITTING. A LABORATORY EXAM OF THE THREADED FITTING REVEALED A LACK OF SMEARING OR SCRATCHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT IF THE FITTING HAD BEEN PROPERLY TORQUED.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: