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19990908047529A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 172K · Pickrell, NE · September 8, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
September 8, 1999 · 21:40 local
Place
Pickrell, NE
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N84385
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI99LA333
Reported as
Cessna 172K
Reported engine
Lycoming O320E2D
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
0 total450 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
N84385Registration cancelled Sep 27, 2023 · Cessna 172KS/N 17258453 · Built 1969Airframe modelCessna 172KEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) The airplane impacted terrain during a night forced landing after experiencing a loss of engine power. The pilot also stated that the engine was running so rough that it felt as if it had half a propeller and that he could not read the airspeed indicator or altimeter. He circled twice over an unlit gravel road and then touched down twice on the road before impacting a sign. The pilot stated that he made the landing with 15 degrees of flaps and not full flaps since it took two hands to fly the aircraft because of the vibration. Examination of the engine revealed that the engine oil dipstick guide tube was loose which resulted in a loss of engine oil. (-23) on September 9, 1999, at approximately 2130, CDT, Cessna 172K, N84385, departed the beatrice, Nebraska municipal airport, enroute to the crete, Nebraska municipal airport. At about 2135, at 3500 feet MSL, the PIC experienced a violent vibration, followed by a complete loss of engine power. The PIC landed on a county road 13 miles southeast of the crete airport. Upon the landing rollout, N84385'S right wing tip struck a stop sign, diverting the airplane into a milo field. The PIC and a single passenger reported no injuries. Subsequent investigation by asi-aw, rick johnson, disclosed a loss of engine oil due to a loose engine oil dipstick guide tube. The loss of engine oil induced the failure of the #4 cylinder connecting rod assembly.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A NIGHT FORCED LANDING AFTER EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING SO ROUGH THAT IT FELT AS IF IT HAD HALF A PROPELLER AND THAT HE COULD NOT READ THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR OR ALTIMETER. HE CIRCLED TWICE OVER AN UNLIT GRAVEL ROAD AND THEN TOUCHED DOWN TWICE ON THE ROAD BEFORE IMPACTING A SIGN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE THE LANDING WITH 15 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND NOT FULL FLAPS SINCE IT TOOK TWO HANDS TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT BECAUSE OF THE VIBRATION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK GUIDE TUBE WAS LOOSE WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE OIL. (-23) ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1999, AT APPROXIMATELY 2130, CDT, CESSNA 172K, N84385, DEPARTED THE BEATRICE, NEBRASKA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, ENROUTE TO THE CRETE, NEBRASKA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. AT ABOUT 2135, AT 3500 FEET MSL, THE PIC EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT VIBRATION, FOLLOWED BY A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PIC LANDED ON A COUNTY ROAD 13 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE CRETE AIRPORT. UPON THE LANDING ROLLOUT, N84385'S RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK A STOP SIGN, DIVERTING THE AIRPLANE INTO A MILO FIELD. THE PIC AND A SINGLE PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY ASI-AW, RICK JOHNSON, DISCLOSED A LOSS OF ENGINE OIL DUE TO A LOOSE ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK GUIDE TUBE. THE LOSS OF ENGINE OIL INDUCED THE FAILURE OF THE #4 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI99LA333Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPickrell, NEthe loose oil dipstick guide tube resulting in loss of oil and the engine failure. The night condition was a contributing factor.Sep 9, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N84385 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20230623022179ACruise/Level Flight · Mirana, AZAirman was performing a cross country flight for personal reasons. This cross country flight included several flight legs from marana regional airport (avq) to various airports in California and return. The final phase of the flight began at the rancho…Jun 23, 2023 · Substantial damage