20080105000119A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna R172K · Spotsylvania, VA · January 5, 2008

Date: January 5, 2008 · 17:40 local
Place: Spotsylvania, VA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N758FQ
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA08LA035
Reported as: Cessna R172K
Reported engine: Continental IO360KB
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,700 total1,000 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N758FQRegistration cancelled Jul 1, 2013 · Cessna R172KS/N R1723064 · Built 1978 Airframe modelCessna R172K Engine modelContinental IO-360 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) The aircraft engine sustained a catastrophic engine failure around 5,000 feet MSL. The pilot attempted a forced landing into a field. Due to improper emergency procedures and failure to follow recommended procedures, the pilot approached the field at too high an airspeed, without the use of landing flaps, flew down the length of the field, touched down once, bounced airborne again, and impacted into the trees at the end of the field.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SUSTAINED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AROUND 5,000 FEET MSL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING INTO A FIELD. DUE TO IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND FAILURE TO FOLLOW RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES, THE PILOT APPROACHED THE FIELD AT TOO HIGH AN AIRSPEED, WITHOUT THE USE OF LANDING FLAPS, FLEW DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE FIELD, TOUCHED DOWN ONCE, BOUNCED AIRBORNE AGAIN, AND IMPACTED INTO THE TREES AT THE END OF THE FIELD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA08LA035Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSpotsylvania, VAThe pilot's failure to follow the checklist and failure to achieve the proper touchdown point during a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was a loss of engine power due to a cracked No. 4 top sparkplug insulator, resulting in pre-ignition/detonation…Jan 5, 2008 · Substantial damage