# Accident 20190301000719A: Cessna 172N, Melba, ID, March 1, 2019 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 1, 2019, 13:55 local time - Place: Melba, ID - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Maneuver - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 43.4269° N, 116.6211° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4269&lon=-116.6211&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6486J, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6486J) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 10,100 total, 1,700 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR19LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA092) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190301000719A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. CESSNA 172 N6486J IS LEASED TO THE AV CENTER AT KMAN FOR THE PURPOSE OF CFR PART 61 INSTRUCTION. THE CFI AND STUDENT PILOT WERE CONDUCTING EMERGENCY STALL TRAINING WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE TO A FIELD NEAR MELBA, IDAHO. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A SOFT SPOT IN THE FIELD AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED DOWN RESULTING IN THE SPINNER AND THE RIGHT WING IMPACTING THE GROUND. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT THE PROPELLER WAS NOT SPINNING. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE CFI AND STUDENT STATED THE STARTER WOULD NOT TURN OVER DURING RESTART. NO ONE WAS INJURED. WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM CFI: "THIS IS THE NARRATIVE OF A FLIGHT BY THE PIC IN A CESSNA C172N, ID NUMBER 6486J ON MARCH 1, 2019, THAT ENDED IN A FORCED LANDING DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. I STARTED A LESSON ABOUT 1:00 P.M. WITH (STUDENT) WHO IS TRAINING FOR HIS PRIVATE LICENSE WITH ME AT AV CENTER IN NAMPA, IDAHO. WE INTENDED TO GO TO AN AREA APROXIMATELY 10 MILES SOUTH OF NAMPA USED AS A TRAINING AREA AND RETURN TO NAMPA AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LESSON. THERE WERE NO PLANNED LANDINGS ON THIS FLIGHT EXCEPT AT NAMPA AIRPORT. WE PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT AND VERIFIED THAT WE HAD 35 GALLONS OF FUEL BY DIPPING THE TANKS WITH A FUEL HAWK DIPSTICK. THE LESSON WAS SCHEDULED TO RUN 1.0 TO 1.3 HOURS. AFTER STARTING AND STABILIZING THE ENGINE WE TAXIED TO THE RUN UP AREA FOR RUNWAY 11 AT NAMPA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. WE COMPLETED A WRITTEN PRETAKEOFF CHECKLIST THAT INCLUDES A CLOSED THROTTLE IDLE CHECK WITH NO DEVIATION FROM NORMAL AND ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE. AFTER TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 11 WE PROCEED TO THE PRACTICE AREA SOUTH OF LAKE LOWELL AND CLIMBED TO 4,500 MSL AND BEGAN TO DO A SERIES OF STALLS. AFTER A SERIES OF ALTERNATING POWER OFF AND POWER ON STALLS (SOMEWHERE AROUND 10-12) AND MAINTAINING AT LEAST 2000FT AGL THE ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING AS THE NOSE WAS RAISED TO DO A POWER OFF STALL. POWERS OFF STALLS ARE DONE WITH THE THROTTLE CLOSE AND CARB HEAT ON SINCE THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 60F. WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT I IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE NOSE TO ESTABLISH A GLIDE AND ASKED THE STUDENT TO RESTART THE ENGINE. WHEN HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE ENGINE TO CRANK I VERIFIED THAT THE MASTER SWITCH WAS ON AND TRIED TO START THE ENGINE MYSELF WITH THE SAME RESULT OF NO ABILITY TO CRANK THE ENGINE TO RESTART. WE WERE TRAVELING IN A GENERALLY SOUTHEAST DIRECTION WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT SO I STARTED A SLOW TURN TO THE SOUTHWEST WHERE THERE WAS MORE OPEN AREA WITH FEWER SURFACE STRUCTURES. AS WE GLIDED SOUTHWEST I TRIED THE STARTER SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULT OF NO ABILLITY TO CRANK THE ENGINE. AS WE GLIDED TOWARD THE FARM FIELD I EXTENDED THE FLAPS AND TRIED THE STARTER ONE LAST TIME WITH THE SAME NEGATIVE RESULT. I THEN TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH AND FUEL SELECTOR. I ADVISED MY STUDENT TO TIGHTEN HIS SEAT BELT AND UNLATCH HIS DOOR, I DID THE SAME AND ACCEPTED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LAND. WE LANDED WITH FULL FLAPS AT MINIMUM SPEED IN A FIELD IRRIGATED BY A CENTER PIVOT SPRINKLER SYSTEM THAT WAS SAFELY ON THE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD WE WERE USING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. WE ROLLED ALMOST TO A STOP BEFORE THE AIRPLANE SANK INTO THE VERY SOFT SURFACE AND NOSED OVER BUT DID NOT GO INVERTED. I AND MY STUDENT EXITED THE AIRPLANE FROM OUR RESPECTIVE DOORS AND ASSESSED OUR SITUATION. ONCE WE ASCERTAINED THAT NEITHER OF US WAS INJURED AND THERE WAS NO NEED FOR EMERGENCY HELP I CALLED AV CENTER TO BEGIN THE REPORTING AND RECOVERY PROCESS. I TUNED THE RADIO TO 121.5 TO VERIFY THAT THE LANDING HAD NOT TRIPPED THE ELT, SINCE WE DID NOT NEED EMERGENCY HELP." THE MECHANIC FOR THE AV CENTER THAT REMOVED THE WRECKAGE FOUND THE IDLE SPRING AND SCREW FROM THE CARBURETOR LAYING IN MUD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COWLING. THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT IS AN AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC. THE OWNER TOOK POSSESSION OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE REMOVED THE STARTER AND DISASSEMBLED IT. THE STARTER RELAY HAD A DAMAGED WIRE. ## 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 WPR19LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA092), Mar 1, 2019: Cessna 172 (N6486J), Melba, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power due to a separated carburetor idle mixture adjustment screw and spring assembly for reasons that could not be determined. ## Other reports on N6486J (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19981012028869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981012028869A), Oct 12, 1998: Cessna 172N (N6486J), Buhl, ID, Substantial damage. Pilot lost control of the acft while attempting to land.(-23)the student pilot attempted a landing on runway 09 at Buhl, ID (U03). The wind was estimated to be… - [Accident 19860303005239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860303005239A), Mar 3, 1986: Cessna 172N (N6486J), American Falls, ID, Substantial damage. During takeoff roll on touch and go,veered off runway side, hitting an embankment. No mechanical malfunction found. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.