# Incident 20181204023179I: Cessna 172B, Glen St Mary, FL, December 4, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 4, 2018, 14:30 local time
- Place: Glen St Mary, FL
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.2752° N, 82.1603° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Glen St. Mary, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2752&lon=-82.1603&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8205X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8205X-2023-02-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172B (registry code 2072406, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172B
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 260 total, 200 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181204023179I

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT ORIGINALLY DEPARTED FROM NEW YORK STATE ON 12/03/2018. THE PIC TOOK OFF ON DEC 4 ABOUT 730 FROM VARNVILLE, SC WITH FULL FUEL HEADING TO FT. MEYERS, FL. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A NOISE AND THEN VIBRATION.  THE PIC THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE CARBURETOR ICE, SO HE APPLIED CARB HEAT AND LOWERED RPM?S, NO HELP.  HE TURNED OFF THE CARB HEAT AND KEPT RPMS , BETWEEN 1800-2000, CONTACTED JACKSONVILLE TOWER AND ADVISED THEM OF THE SITUATION WHILE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAND.  DURING THIS TIME THE ENGINE STALLED OUT AND THEN THE PIC RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND FOCUSED ON A GRASS STRIP IN SIGHT WHERE HE COULD LAND, BUT THERE WAS A COW IN HIS WAY OF LANDING.  THE PIC CONTINUED WITH A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND AVOIDED THE COW, BUT THEN WENT THROUGH THE BARBED WIRE FENCE AFTER LANDING, STRIKING THE PROP AND SHEARING THE NOSE LANDING GEAR.  I ASKED THE PILOT WHY HE DID LAND IN CUYLER AIRFIELD THAT HE FLEW ACROSS (OVER).  THE PIC STATED HE HAD HIS EYES FOCUSED ON THE GRASS STRIP AND HE WAS TAUGHT TO CONTINUE WITH HIS ORIGINAL PLAN AND LAND AND HE WASN?T IN THE RIGHT POSITION TO LAND AT CUYLER FIELD.  THE PIC HAS A 260 FLIGHT HOURS OF EXPERIENCE AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT ANY INJURIES.  THE PIC BELIEVES HE EXPERIENCED A STUCK CYLINDER VALVE AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECUATIONARY LANDING.

THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL, PROP BLADE, PROP SPINNER, LANDING GEAR ATTACHMENT CAST FITTINGS, NOSE LANDING GEAR ATTACHMENT BULKHEADS BEHIND THE FIREWALL ARE WRINKLED (UNDER CARPET IN COCKPIT AREA) AND TORN THROUGH AT ATTACHMENT FASTENERS.

THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS SIGNED OFF ON NOVEMBER 29, 2018.

I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE NTSB STATING, ??..THE DAMAGE TO N8205X IS NOT CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIAL, THEREFORE THIS EVENT WILL NOT BE CLASSIFIED AS AN ACCIDENT. MY SUPERVISOR AND OUR STRUCTURES ENGINEER DO NOT CONSIDER FIREWALL DAMAGE AS SUBSTANTIAL"

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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