# Accident 20180515005389A: Cessna 177, Fort Wayne, IN, May 15, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 15, 2018, 14:00 local time
- Place: Fort Wayne, IN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.1700° N, 85.1800° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1700&lon=-85.1800&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9058F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9058F-2019-08-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 177 (registry code 2073704, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,255 total, 1,405 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN18LA174](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA174) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180515005389A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 CEN18LA174](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA174), May 15, 2018: Cessna 177 (N9058F), Fort Wayne, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the oil cooler due to a defect in the brazed joint, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to oil starvation.

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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