20060716016219I

Incident

FAA incident report · Cessna 172N · Chinle, AZ · July 16, 2006

Date: July 16, 2006 · 07:40 local
Place: Chinle, AZ
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft: N737UD
Reported as: Cessna 172N
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,000 total4,900 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N737UDRegistration cancelled Mar 31, 2011 · Cessna 172NS/N 17269678 · Built 1977 Airframe modelCessna 172N Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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) Pilot was in cruise flight over Chinle, AZ at 9500' when the engine speed dropped 300 RPM. Pilot switched to the right magneto and the engine started popping. He then switched to the left magneto, but the power issue continued. He switched back to both magnetos. Engine power continued to deteriorate to the point he could not maintain altitude. He then issued a mayday call stating that he experienced an engine failure. Pilot then looked for a place to land and made a safe landing on a road. No damage to aircraft and no injuries to pilot and passenger. The points of both magnetos were worn to the degree that they did not have the required gap and were not opening properly. Aircraft received an annual inspection in may 2006.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER CHINLE, AZ AT 9500' WHEN THE ENGINE SPEED DROPPED 300 RPM. PILOT SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT MAGNETO AND THE ENGINE STARTED POPPING. HE THEN SWITCHED TO THE LEFT MAGNETO, BUT THE POWER ISSUE CONTINUED. HE SWITCHED BACK TO BOTH MAGNETOS. ENGINE POWER CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE TO THE POINT HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE THEN ISSUED A MAYDAY CALL STATING THAT HE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE. PILOT THEN LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND AND MADE A SAFE LANDING ON A ROAD. NO DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT AND NO INJURIES TO PILOT AND PASSENGER. THE POINTS OF BOTH MAGNETOS WERE WORN TO THE DEGREE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED GAP AND WERE NOT OPENING PROPERLY. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION IN MAY 2006.

Other reports on N737UD · 2

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

Incident 19920905043859IDescent · Page, AZObserved to make a pass at an estimated altitude of 200FEET over a crowded beach.Sep 5, 1992 Incident 19840503050909IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Opa Locka, FLGust of wind picked up tail of aircraft taxiing for takeoff. Wing tip and prop came in contact with taxiway.May 3, 1984 · Minor damage