What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot statement: on Sunday nov. 26, 2006 after departing blythe, CA., enroute to page, AZ., for refueling, and approximately 23.5 km northwest of Prescott, AZ., I noticed a small amount of smoke coming from the top of the engine cowling of the Cessna 172 (N1501V) I was flying. An immediate decision was made to proceed directly to the nearest airport to investigate the cause of the smoke. All gauges indicated normal aircraft functions at this time. I contacted Prescott tower at about 16.5 miles northwest of the field and advised them of the situation. At this time I was observing fluctuations in engine oil pressure. Readings were still within the green zone on the gauge but not steady. Shortly after my first contact with the tower the prop cycled one time further indicating a loss of oil pressure. Maintaining reduced engine power, I was able to land safely at Prescott, AZ., without incident. Upon preliminary inspection on the ground I found the engine to be turnable by hand but lacked any bearing tolerance normally felt while turning a similar know good engine. Upon removing the upper engine cowling for a preliminary inspection large amounts of oil covered the rear left hand area of the engine and firewall area. Further inspection indicated a possible failure of the engine oil cooler. Exact cause of oil loss will be determined upon engine dissassembly and inspection for possible repair.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATEMENT: ON SUNDAY NOV. 26, 2006 AFTER DEPARTING BLYTHE, CA., ENROUTE TO PAGE, AZ., FOR REFUELING, AND APPROXIMATELY 23.5 KM NORTHWEST OF PRESCOTT, AZ., I NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE COWLING OF THE CESSNA 172 (N1501V) I WAS FLYING. AN IMMEDIATE DECISION WAS MADE TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE. ALL GAUGES INDICATED NORMAL AIRCRAFT FUNCTIONS AT THIS TIME. I CONTACTED PRESCOTT TOWER AT ABOUT 16.5 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE FIELD AND ADVISED THEM OF THE SITUATION. AT THIS TIME I WAS OBSERVING FLUCTUATIONS IN ENGINE OIL PRESSURE. READINGS WERE STILL WITHIN THE GREEN ZONE ON THE GAUGE BUT NOT STEADY. SHORTLY AFTER MY FIRST CONTACT WITH THE TOWER THE PROP CYCLED ONE TIME FURTHER INDICATING A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. MAINTAINING REDUCED ENGINE POWER, I WAS ABLE TO LAND SAFELY AT PRESCOTT, AZ., WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON PRELIMINARY INSPECTION ON THE GROUND I FOUND THE ENGINE TO BE TURNABLE BY HAND BUT LACKED ANY BEARING TOLERANCE NORMALLY FELT WHILE TURNING A SIMILAR KNOW GOOD ENGINE. UPON REMOVING THE UPPER ENGINE COWLING FOR A PRELIMINARY INSPECTION LARGE AMOUNTS OF OIL COVERED THE REAR LEFT HAND AREA OF THE ENGINE AND FIREWALL AREA. FURTHER INSPECTION INDICATED A POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE OIL COOLER. EXACT CAUSE OF OIL LOSS WILL BE DETERMINED UPON ENGINE DISSASSEMBLY AND INSPECTION FOR POSSIBLE REPAIR.
Other reports on N1501V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.