# Accident 20030219002079A: Cessna 172S, Flemington, NJ, February 19, 2003 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 19, 2003, 10:00 local time - Place: Flemington, NJ - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Practice Training Manuevers - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 40.4819° N, 74.8911° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4819&lon=-74.8911&mi=10 - Aircraft: N197ME, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N197ME) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Reported engine: LYC IO360LYC* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 320 total, 290 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC03LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA048) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030219002079A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON FEBRUARY 19, 2003, ABOUT 1000 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172SP, N197ME, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR FLEMINGTON, NEW JERSEY, FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED, AND THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT ABOUT 0900, PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE, NOTED NO ANOMALIES, AND THEN BOARDED. THE ENGINE STARTED ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT, AND HE ALLOWED IT TO WARM UP FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE TAXING. THE PILOT THEN TAXIED TO A POINT SHORT OF RUNWAY 22, AND COMPLETED THE ENGINE RUNUP CHECKS. ONCE AGAIN, NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED. HE THEN TAXIED ONTO THE RUNWAY, ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO THE TAKEOFF POSITION, AND DEPARTED. ONCE AIRBORNE, THE PILOT CLIMBED TO 2,000 FEET MSL, AND EXECUTED THE VOR 23 APPROACH TO DOYLESTOWN AIRPORT (DYL) DOYLESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. AT THE MISSED APPROACH POINT, THE PILOT ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, AND EXECUTED A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN TO REPEAT THE SAME APPROACH. AFTER REACHING 2,000 FEET MSL AND WHILE FLYING THE INBOUND LEG OF THE PROCEDURE TURN, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. THE LOSS OF POWER WAS SMOOTH, AND TOOK APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS. DURING THE DESCENT, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE USING THE CHECKLIST, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. UNABLE TO REACH AN AIRPORT, HE SETUP FOR A NO-FLAP LANDING TO A FIELD, AND SECURED THE FUEL AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN UPSLOPE, MAINS FIRST, AND ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET BEFORE SETTLING INTO THE SOFT GROUND. THE NOSE WHEEL CONTACTED THE GROUND, COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE SPUN 180 DEGREES TO THE LEFT BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE PILOT EGRESSED THE AIRPLANE UNASSISTED, AND REPORTED THE ACCIDENT AND HIS LOCATION TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL VIA MOBILE PHONE. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRFRAME, AND A TEARDOWN WAS CONDUCTED ON FEBRUARY 28, 2003, AT THE MANUFACTURE'S FACILITY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR. DURING THE EXAMINATION, THE ACCESSORY SECTION WAS OPENED, AND THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS WERE IDENTIFIED. THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR DOWEL WAS BROKEN, AND THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR BOLT WAS LOSE, BUT INTACT. THE ACCESSORY GEAR BOLT WAS EXAMINED IN A LABORATORY. THE THREADS WERE NOT DAMAGED, AND THE BOLT MET MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATIONS. THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR, A PORTION OF THE DOWEL, AND THE ACCESSORY DRIVE BOLT HAVE BEEN RETAINED BY THE SAFETY BOARD FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. (-23) PILOT DEPARTED SOLBERG-HUNTERDON AIRPORT (N51), LOCATED IN READINGTON, NJ, AT 0930 TO PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES AT THE DOYLESTOWN AIRPORT (DYL), LOCATED IN DOYLESTOWN, PA. THE PILOT EXECUTED THE VOR APPROACH AT DOYLESTOWN RUNWAY 23, AND DID A LOW APPROACH TO RUNWAY 23. HE THEN INITIATED A CLIMB TO EXECUTE THE MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE, AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. THE PILOT TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO SET THE AIRCRAFT UP FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT LANDED IN A SNOW-COVERED FIELD, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. ## 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 NYC03LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA048), Feb 19, 2003: Cessna 172SP (N197ME), Flemington, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The manufacturer's improper assembly of the accessory drive section of the engine. ## Other reports on N197ME (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20190804015989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190804015989A), Aug 4, 2019: Cessna 172S (N197ME), Berlin, MD, Substantial damage. Student pilot was returning from a cross country flight. Pilot performed a hard landing causing damage to the aircraft. Weather: Koxb 041535Z auto 23007KT 10SM… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.