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20030308011279A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 172H · Callao, MO · March 8, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
March 8, 2003 · 12:05 local
Place
Callao, MO
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N275SW
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI03LA082
Reported as
Cessna 172H
Reported engine
Continental O300D
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
225 total147 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days
N275SWRegistration cancelled Jun 30, 2017 · Cessna 172HS/N 17255491 · Built 1966Airframe modelCessna 172HEngine modelContinental 0-300 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.

(-23) Shortly after departure from a private airstrip in Callao, Missouri, pilot states that the engine began to run rough, with the engine tachometer fluctuating between 1800 and 2000 RPM. Carburetor heat was applied with no apparent change to engine performance. At that point, the pilot decided to return to the local airstrip. While approaching the airstrip, the pilot noted that the tachometer was indicating between 1100 and 1300 RPM. Pilot states that due to the lack of available power and rising terrain he decided to approach straight-in for a downwind landing. The aircraft landed on the wet grass/muddy runway, sliding off the end and impacting a gravel road (fireworks ave), at which time the nose wheel assembly broke off. This caused the aircraft to pitch nose down, flipping the aircraft upside down upon a barbed-wire fence on the east side of fireworks ave. post accident inspection found no engine compression on number two cylinder. Subsequent tear-down inspection revealed piston head erosion with damage extending completely through the piston. This condition is consistent with a piston exposed to an elevated operating temperature.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN CALLAO, MISSOURI, PILOT STATES THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, WITH THE ENGINE TACHOMETER FLUCTUATING BETWEEN 1800 AND 2000 RPM. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED WITH NO APPARENT CHANGE TO ENGINE PERFORMANCE. AT THAT POINT, THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE LOCAL AIRSTRIP. WHILE APPROACHING THE AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE TACHOMETER WAS INDICATING BETWEEN 1100 AND 1300 RPM. PILOT STATES THAT DUE TO THE LACK OF AVAILABLE POWER AND RISING TERRAIN HE DECIDED TO APPROACH STRAIGHT-IN FOR A DOWNWIND LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE WET GRASS/MUDDY RUNWAY, SLIDING OFF THE END AND IMPACTING A GRAVEL ROAD (FIREWORKS AVE), AT WHICH TIME THE NOSE WHEEL ASSEMBLY BROKE OFF. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO PITCH NOSE DOWN, FLIPPING THE AIRCRAFT UPSIDE DOWN UPON A BARBED-WIRE FENCE ON THE EAST SIDE OF FIREWORKS AVE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FOUND NO ENGINE COMPRESSION ON NUMBER TWO CYLINDER. SUBSEQUENT TEAR-DOWN INSPECTION REVEALED PISTON HEAD EROSION WITH DAMAGE EXTENDING COMPLETELY THROUGH THE PISTON. THIS CONDITION IS CONSISTENT WITH A PISTON EXPOSED TO AN ELEVATED OPERATING TEMPERATURE.

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 CHI03LA082Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCallao, MOA loss of engine power due to the erosion of the number 2 piston, resulting in loss of compression on that cylinder. Contributing factors were the tailwind, the muddy runway condition, and the roadway and ditch.Mar 8, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N275SW · 1

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

Incident 20010727030299INormal Cruise · Elizabethtown, IL(-23)[privacy data omitted]- received a report from the hardin county sherriff's dept that N275SW had landed on a bridge near elizabeth, IL. According to the report, the aircraft received no damage and the pilot had stated he was going cross-country from st.…Jul 27, 2001