# Accident 20000710040989A: Cessna 172L, Beaufort, NC, July 10, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 10, 2000, 10:30 local time
- Place: Beaufort, NC
- Airport: Michael J Smith Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.7205° N, 76.6497° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7205&lon=-76.6497&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3875Q, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3875Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172L (registry code 2072432, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172L
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 975 total, 260 in this make and model, 190 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA215) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000710040989A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) THE FLIGHT WAS A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT FOLLOWING ENGINE OVERHAUL DUE TO A PROPELLER STRIKE ON MARCH 10, 2000. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED BY THE PILOT DURING THE ENGINE RUN-UP OR AFTER APPLYING FULL POWER TO TAKEOFF. WHILE CLIMBING ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER THEN QUIT. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITH ONLY 180 FEET REMAINING ON THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY AND APPLIED HEAVY BRAKES. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, ROLLED ONTO WET GRASS, AND UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE, COLLIDED WITH A CHAIN LINK FENCE. THE ENGINE WAS DISASSEMBLED WITH FAA APPROVAL BY THE FACILITY THAT OVERHAULED IT WITHOUT GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT, BEFORE NTSB NOTIFICATION. THE NO. 4 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD BOLTS WERE FRACTURED, AND THE CONNECTING ROD CAP WAS STRAIGHT. DUE TO THE LACK OF GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED ENGINE, NO COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE WERE EXAMINED OR RETAINED. AN ENTRY IN THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS DATED JULY 5, 2000, INDICATES THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED '...PER LYCOMING OVERHAUL MANUAL (60294-7).' THE ENTRY ALSO INDICATES THAT THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN, AND 'ALL PRESSURES AND TEMPS [SIC] WITHIN MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS....' (-23) PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND NOSE WHEEL FIRST, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BEGIN A PORPOISE MOTION DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDING. THE PILOT INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS MOTION AND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO AGAIN STRIKE THE GROUND HARD ON THE NOSE WHEEL WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO DAMAGE THE PROPELLER, ENGINE MOUNT, AND FIREWALL. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA00LA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA215), Jul 10, 2000: Cessna 172L (N3875Q), Beaufort, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to failure of the No. 4 cylinder connecting rod during the first flight following engine overhaul for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was unsuitable…

## Other reports on N3875Q (1)

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

- [Accident 20000310040979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000310040979A), Mar 10, 2000: Cessna 172L (N3875Q), Beaufort, NC, Substantial damage. (.4) On March 10, 2000, about 1130 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172L, N3875Q, registered to a private individual, experienced a hard landing at the Michael…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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