What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 2/26/2005 at approximately 1400 CST, a Cessna 177RG, owned by trip air, inc. and flown by privacy data omitted was substantially damaged during a VFR flight from Fargo, ND to st. louis, MO for which no flight plan was filed. The weather at the scene was reported to be clear skies, 6 statute miles in haze, wind 160 degrees at 30 knots. The pilot reported an engine problem after takeoff and subsequently that he had lost the engine and was making an emergency landing. The aircraft hit a lightpost and crashed 375' later on a westerly heading in a Fargo, ND residential area. The aircraft received substantial damage after impacting two vehicles. The pilot and hit passenger were both hospitalized and received serious injuries. The site investigation disclosed a large hole on the left side engine case and what appeared to be a potential leak around the oil filter and no oil on the dipstick. A thorough inspection was later conducted on 3/1/2005 by airworthiness inspectors from the Fargo FSDO and a Cessna safety representative. The oil filter rubber gasket was found incorrectly installed, causing the loss of oil and subsequent engine failure.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 2/26/2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 CST, A CESSNA 177RG, OWNED BY TRIP AIR, INC. AND FLOWN BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A VFR FLIGHT FROM FARGO, ND TO ST. LOUIS, MO FOR WHICH NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE WEATHER AT THE SCENE WAS REPORTED TO BE CLEAR SKIES, 6 STATUTE MILES IN HAZE, WIND 160 DEGREES AT 30 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED AN ENGINE PROBLEM AFTER TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENTLY THAT HE HAD LOST THE ENGINE AND WAS MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A LIGHTPOST AND CRASHED 375' LATER ON A WESTERLY HEADING IN A FARGO, ND RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER IMPACTING TWO VEHICLES. THE PILOT AND HIT PASSENGER WERE BOTH HOSPITALIZED AND RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE SITE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED A LARGE HOLE ON THE LEFT SIDE ENGINE CASE AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A POTENTIAL LEAK AROUND THE OIL FILTER AND NO OIL ON THE DIPSTICK. A THOROUGH INSPECTION WAS LATER CONDUCTED ON 3/1/2005 BY AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS FROM THE FARGO FSDO AND A CESSNA SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE. THE OIL FILTER RUBBER GASKET WAS FOUND INCORRECTLY INSTALLED, CAUSING THE LOSS OF OIL AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.