# Incident 20120815016519I: Piper PA-38-112, Mason City, IA, August 15, 2012

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 15, 2012, 12:40 local time
- Place: Mason City, IA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.1478° N, 93.2004° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Mason City, IA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1478&lon=-93.2004&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2572D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2572D-2015-05-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-38-112 (registry code 7103812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-38-112
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 220 total, 150 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120815016519I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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 19790525010649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790525010649A), May 25, 1979: Piper PA38112 (N2572D), Schaumburg, IL, Substantial damage. Student pilot on solo cross country flight landed on third attempt in gusty cross wind,veered off runway.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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