20120815016519I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-38-112 · Mason City, IA · August 15, 2012

Date: August 15, 2012 · 12:40 local
Place: Mason City, IA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N2572D
Reported as: Piper PA-38-112
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 220 total150 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days

N2572DRegistration cancelled May 28, 2015 · Piper PA-38-112S/N 38-79A0380 · Built 1978 Airframe modelPiper PA-38-112 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

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.

During cruise flight from boone, IA to rochester, MN the engine suddenly dropped 400 to 500 RPM. Pilot notified minneapolis ARTCC and attempted to divert to Mason City, IA. Engine speed continued to deteriorate and an emergency landing was excecuted on to a corn field approximately 10 miles northwest of the Mason City airport. Aircraft came to rest nose down approximately 100 yards from initial touchdown. Each fuel tank was approximately half full, and the engine oil level was within limits. The spark plugs were removed and noticable resistance was felt in the engine as it was rotated using the propeller.

As the FAA filed it

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT FROM BOONE, IA TO ROCHESTER, MN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DROPPED 400 TO 500 RPM. PILOT NOTIFIED MINNEAPOLIS ARTCC AND ATTEMPTED TO DIVERT TO MASON CITY, IA. ENGINE SPEED CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE AND AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS EXCECUTED ON TO A CORN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE MASON CITY AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM INITIAL TOUCHDOWN. EACH FUEL TANK WAS APPROXIMATELY HALF FULL, AND THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL WAS WITHIN LIMITS. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REMOVED AND NOTICABLE RESISTANCE WAS FELT IN THE ENGINE AS IT WAS ROTATED USING THE PROPELLER.

Other reports on N2572D · 1

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

Accident 19790525010649ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Schaumburg, ILStudent pilot on solo cross country flight landed on third attempt in gusty cross wind,veered off runway.May 25, 1979 · Substantial damage