20120508006759I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Cessna 172 · Idaho Falls, ID · May 8, 2012

Date: May 8, 2012 · 14:30 local
Place: Idaho Falls, ID
Airport: Idaho Falls Regional
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N4050F
Reported as: Cessna 172
Reported engine: Continental 0-300 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0

N4050FRegistered now · Cessna 172S/N 36950 Airframe modelCessna 172 Engine modelContinental 0-300 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.

On may 8, 2012, when entering the pattern at Idaho Falls Regional Airport, the pilot noticed the engine started losing power. After attempting to increase the power, he heard a loud bang, followed by a lot of smoke. The pilot observed the oil pressure was zero (0). An emergency was declared for a fire and they landed immediately. When they landed, the smoke cleared and a lot of oil was observed, and there was no fire. The pilot taxied in to parking. The aircraft owner stated the mechanics saw pieces of the engine block in the cowling where they observed a hole where the oil came out. The owner also reported they had seized the main bearings and had a rod problem. Pilot reported having 6 quarts of oil before takeoff.

As the FAA filed it

ON MAY 8, 2012, WHEN ENTERING THE PATTERN AT IDAHO FALLS REGIONAL AIRPORT, THE PILOT NOTICED THE ENGINE STARTED LOSING POWER. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE THE POWER, HE HEARD A LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED BY A LOT OF SMOKE. THE PILOT OBSERVED THE OIL PRESSURE WAS ZERO (0). AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED FOR A FIRE AND THEY LANDED IMMEDIATELY. WHEN THEY LANDED, THE SMOKE CLEARED AND A LOT OF OIL WAS OBSERVED, AND THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE PILOT TAXIED IN TO PARKING. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER STATED THE MECHANICS SAW PIECES OF THE ENGINE BLOCK IN THE COWLING WHERE THEY OBSERVED A HOLE WHERE THE OIL CAME OUT. THE OWNER ALSO REPORTED THEY HAD SEIZED THE MAIN BEARINGS AND HAD A ROD PROBLEM.PILOT REPORTED HAVING 6 QUARTS OF OIL BEFORE TAKEOFF.