What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 15, 2018 at approximately 2:00PM eastern standard time, a 1968 Cessna 177-F, N9058F, serial number 17700304, sustained substantial damage following collision with the ground while making an off airport landing following an engine failure in flight.
The flight departed VFR from smith field (ksmd) located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and picked up an IFR clearance from Fort Wayne ATC for a local flight.
The accident scene is located in a field, 1230 sunset lake cove, Fort Wayne, Indiana (41.17N 85.18W) and the commercial rated pilot and his passenger suffered no injuries.
Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan filed. Air traffic control (ATC) was in communication with a pilot after issuing an IFR clearance. Radar returns showed the flight descending an a low altitute alert was provided to the pilot. The aircraft touched down in a muddy field striking the left wing tip first as the pilot had started a shallow turn to avoid a tree line.
On-scene examination shows the propeller was not producing power at the time of collision with the ground.
Logbook entries showed the engine had been overhauled in February 2018 with approximately eight hours since major overhaul. The pilot states during his preflight, 7.5 quarts of oil was in the engine and approximately 27 gallons of fuel. Upon investigation a large amount of oil was found on the right side of the plane and no oil observed on the dip stick. During the investigation it was determined the new oil cooler, part number 8000075, failed resulting in a total loss of engine oil.
From take off to landing, the flight time was less than ten minutes. The pilot reports while leveling off at 2600 feet, the engine started making a lot of "banging" noise and he observed a loss of rpm's. while descending the engine stopped completely.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 15, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A 1968 CESSNA 177-F, N9058F, SERIAL NUMBER 17700304, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING COLLISION WITH THE GROUND WHILE MAKING AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING FOLLOWING AN ENGINE FAILURE IN FLIGHT.
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED VFR FROM SMITH FIELD (KSMD) LOCATED IN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA AND PICKED UP AN IFR CLEARANCE FROM FORT WAYNE ATC FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT.
THE ACCIDENT SCENE IS LOCATED IN A FIELD, 1230 SUNSET LAKE COVE, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA (41.17N 85.18W) AND THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER SUFFERED NO INJURIES.
DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN FILED. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH A PILOT AFTER ISSUING AN IFR CLEARANCE. RADAR RETURNS SHOWED THE FLIGHT DESCENDING AN A LOW ALTITUTE ALERT WAS PROVIDED TO THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A MUDDY FIELD STRIKING THE LEFT WING TIP FIRST AS THE PILOT HAD STARTED A SHALLOW TURN TO AVOID A TREE LINE.
ON-SCENE EXAMINATION SHOWS THE PROPELLER WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER AT THE TIME OF COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
LOGBOOK ENTRIES SHOWED THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OVERHAULED IN FEBRUARY 2018 WITH APPROXIMATELY EIGHT HOURS SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL. THE PILOT STATES DURING HIS PREFLIGHT, 7.5 QUARTS OF OIL WAS IN THE ENGINE AND APPROXIMATELY 27 GALLONS OF FUEL. UPON INVESTIGATION A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL WAS FOUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PLANE AND NO OIL OBSERVED ON THE DIP STICK. DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THE NEW OIL COOLER, PART NUMBER 8000075, FAILED RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE OIL.
FROM TAKE OFF TO LANDING, THE FLIGHT TIME WAS LESS THAN TEN MINUTES. THE PILOT REPORTS WHILE LEVELING OFF AT 2600 FEET, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A LOT OF "BANGING" NOISE AND HE OBSERVED A LOSS OF RPM'S. WHILE DESCENDING THE ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.