20130108000039I

Incident · No damage

FAA incident report · Cessna 172N · Eden Prairie, MN · January 8, 2013

Date: January 8, 2013 · 10:30 local
Place: Eden Prairie, MN
Airport: Flying Cloud
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N738JX
Reported as: Cessna 172N
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 250 total250 in this make and model13 in the last 90 days

N738JXRegistered now · Cessna 172NS/N 17270024 · Built 1977 Airframe modelCessna 172N Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

The pilot was enroute from the superior WI. Airport (suw) to the mankato MN. Airport (mkt). At approximately 10 miles west of the Flying Cloud Airport (fcm) the pilot noticed smoke on the right side of the dash. The pilot told the controller (msp approach) that there was smoke in the cockpit but it cleared up. The controller advised the pilot that the Flying Cloud Airport was just 10 miles west. The controller also asked if he wanted to declare an emergency. Just then the pilot saw more smoke and told the controller that yes he did want to declare an emergency, and land at the Flying Cloud Airport. The pilot landed safely without any further problems.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS ENROUTE FROM THE SUPERIOR WI. AIRPORT (SUW) TO THE MANKATO MN. AIRPORT (MKT). AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES WEST OF THE FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT (FCM) THE PILOT NOTICED SMOKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DASH. THE PILOT TOLD THE CONTROLLER (MSP APPROACH) THAT THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT BUT IT CLEARED UP. THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT THAT THE FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT WAS JUST 10 MILES WEST. THE CONTROLLER ALSO ASKED IF HE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. JUST THEN THE PILOT SAW MORE SMOKE AND TOLD THE CONTROLLER THAT YES HE DID WANT TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY, AND LAND AT THE FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT. THE PILOT LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS.