# Incident 20031210034179I: Cessna 172M, Woodville, TX, December 10, 2003

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 10, 2003, 07:50 local time
- Place: Woodville, TX
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.7744° N, 94.4225° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Woodville, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.7744&lon=-94.4225&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4428Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4428Q-2014-12-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,500 total, 300 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031210034179I

## Narrative

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

(-23) WHILE IN CLIMBING FLIGHT, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN REDUCTION IN POWER. A SCAN OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE INSTRUMENTS REVEALED A LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT WHICH HE HAD DEPARTED 10 MINUTES EARLIER. WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 3 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY AND THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED INTO THE RED. THE PILOT HAD TO REDUCE POWER TO A SETTING THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW THE AIRCRAFT TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS INITIATED WITH DAMAGE LIMITED TO THE LEFT WING TIP. POST EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SHOWED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF CARBON BUILDUP FROM THE #3 ENGINE CYLINDER. THIS CARBON HAD BROKEN LOOSE OVER THE 1400+ HOURS OF OPERATION OF THE ENGINE AND FOUND ITS WAY INTO THE OIL SUMP. THE OIL PICK UP SCREEN THAT FILTERS THE OIL TO THE OIL PUMP HAD BECOME PLUGGED ALLOWING NO OIL TO GET TO THE OIL PUMP CAUSING OIL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE. NO FURTHER ACTION.

## Other reports on N4428Q (2)

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

- [Accident 20101124052859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101124052859A), Nov 24, 2010: Cessna 172M (N4428Q), Velma, OK, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Aircraft had been flying pipeline surveillance, 14 CFR 91. According to witness statment, the aircraft made five circles around an oil rig. One worker on the…
- [Incident 19880821069449I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880821069449I), Aug 21, 1988: Cessna 172M (N4428Q), Oshkosh, WI. Fuel exhaustion. Forced landing in field. Fuel tank selector was worn, was off detente but showed on both.

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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