# Accident 20161019016879A: Cessna 172C, Cedar Key, FL, October 19, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 19, 2016, 07:25 local time
- Place: Cedar Key, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.1375° N, 83.0464° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1375&lon=-83.0464&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1827Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1827Y-2018-07-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172C (registry code 2072408, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172C
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 1,800 total, 600 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA17LA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA024) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161019016879A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF INTO WATER APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS FROM DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 5.

AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE CARTWHEELED DAMAGING BOTH WINGS AND LOWER ENGINE COWL. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON A MUD BANK PARTIALLY SUBMERGED AT HIGH TIDE (SEA WATER).

AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED DURING THE RECOVERY EFFORT REMAINING COMPLETELY SUBMERGED IN SEA WATER FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO DAYS DURING THE RECOVERY.

AFTER RECOVERY, INSPECTION REVEALED LEFT FUEL TANK RUPTURED AND EMPTY, RIGHT FUEL TANK ½ FULL, AUX TANK IN AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT FULL.  DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS INCLUDES WING SPAR DAMAGE APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET IN FROM EACH WING TIP (NOT INCLUDING TIP CAPS). DUE TO DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME DURING RECOVERY, FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS NOT POSSIBLE.

THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN POUNDS OF OIL, TOOLS, AND A VARIETY OF MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT FOUND IN THE REAR BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT.

ENGINE INSPECTION REVEALED THE FOLLOWING; ENGINE WAS TORN OFF DURING RECOVERY EFFORT THEREFORE ENGINE CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS NOT POSSIBLE.  ALL UPPER SPARK PLUGS WERE REMOVED TO VERIFY COMPRESSION VIA THUMB PRESSURE OVER SPARK PLUG HOLE. NUMBER THREE AND FOUR CYLINDERS WERE NOTED TO HAVE NO COMPRESSION. REMOVED ALL VALVE COVERS AND NOTED THAT NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED ON THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER AND REMAINING VALVE TRAIN.

PROPELLER TURNED FREELY AND THE MAGNETO IMPULSE COUPLING COULD BE HEARD CLICKING BUT NO SPARK VERIFIED DUE TO WATER INTRUSION.

INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS REVEALED THAT HE HAD RECENTLY FUELED THE AIRCRAFT TO FULL ON ALL THREE TANKS (WINGS AND AUX, OCT. 10, 2016 AT X60) AND HAD THE INTENT OF FLYING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE ON THE ACCIDENT DATE. PILOT AND PASSENGERS STATED THAT THEY HAD IN TOTAL APPROXIMATELY TWENTY POUNDS OF PERSONAL ITEMS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT.

AFTER INTERVIEWING THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS, THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE BUT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB ABOVE 100 FEET. ALL STATEMENTS AND EVIDENCE ARE CONSISTENT WITH AN OVERLOADED AIRCRAFT AND STALL.

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE DOCUMENTS WERE NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO THE FAA.

PILOT WAS UNABLE TO PRODUCE AN AIRMAN CERTIFICATE ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOTS AIRMAN CERTIFICATE WAS REVOKED IN 1997, AND THE LAST THIRD CLASS MEDICAL ON RECORD IS IN 2009.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA17LA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA024), Oct 19, 2016: Cessna 172 (N1827Y), Cedar Key, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power due to a stuck exhaust valve and the noncertificated pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in the airplane being overloaded, both of which led to the…

## Other reports on N1827Y (2)

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

- [Incident 19950411021109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950411021109I), Apr 11, 1995: Cessna 172C (N1827Y), Claremore, OK, Minor damage. Unsupervised solo porpoised on landing. Panicked. Hit right brake hard. Swerved. Damaged prop and wing tip.
- [Incident 19790903034259I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790903034259I), Sep 3, 1979: Cessna 182 (N1827Y), Abilene, TX, Minor damage. While taxiing from tieddown area wingtip struck wingtip of parked aircraft.

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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