# Accident 20040915021589A: Cessna 172RG, Montgomery, AL, September 15, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 15, 2004, 10:22 local time
- Place: Montgomery, AL
- Airport: Dannelly Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.3006° N, 86.3939° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3006&lon=-86.3939&mi=10
- Aircraft: N948SM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N948SM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172RG (registry code 2072438, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172RG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,300 total, 140 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL04CA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04CA186) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040915021589A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED ALICEVILLE (AIV) AT 1000 HOURS ENROUTE VFR TO SELMA (SEM). OVER VAIDEN A "THUD" WAS FELT (APPROX 1015) AND HE STARTED SMELLING HYDRAULIC FLUID BURNING. HE CHECKED ALL GAUGES, FLUID AND TEMPERATURE, ALL WAS NORMAL, EXCEPT AIRSPEED HAD REDUCED 15 KNOTS. HE CHECKED THE GEAR LIGHTS FOR POSSIBLE EXTENSION AND DID NOT HAVE EITHER GEAR UP AND DOWN LIGHTS. HE DECIDED NOT TO PUT THE GEAR DOWN UNTIL SEM IN CASE OF PROBLEMS. HE COULD NOT RAISE SEM UNICOM AND CALLED MONTGOMERY (MGM) APPROACH AND ASKED THEM TO TELEPHONE SEM, WITH NO ANSWER. THE PILOT DECIDED TO DIVERT TO MGM AT THIS TIME AND TO LOWER THE GEAR, THE SMELL OF HYDRAULIC FLUID HAD GONE AWAY. WHEN THE GEAR LEVER WAS PUT IN THE DOWN POSITION THERE WAS A NOISE AND VIBRATIONS BUT NO SIGNS OF GEAR EXTENSION. UPON CYCLING THE GEAR LEVER UP AND DOWN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER (C/B) OPENED AND COULD NOT BE RESET. THE PROCEDURE FOR PUMPING DOWN THE GEAR IS LEVER IN THE DOWN POSITION AND THE C/B CLOSED. TRIED TO PUMP THE GEAR DOWN WITHOUT CLOSING THE C/B AND PUTTING THE GEAR LEVER IN THE DOWN POSITION AND PUMPING THE EMERGENCY EXTENSION HANDLE BUT THE PRESSURE DID NOT BUILD UP. HE HAS TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE GEAR UP.

## 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 ATL04CA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04CA186), Sep 15, 2004: Cessna 172RG (N948SM), Montgomery, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation of a hydraulic line for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a hydraulic fluid leak and malfunction of the landing gear.

## Other reports on N948SM (1)

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

- [Incident 20201006016689I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201006016689I), Oct 6, 2020: Cessna 172RG (N948SM), Canton, OH, Minor damage. Pilot (N948SM) returning from photograph flight (Michigan and western Ohio was on downwind for runway 19 at Akron-Canton airport (cak). Tower transmitted to…

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.