20191024016919A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172N · Swea City, IA · October 24, 2019

Date: October 24, 2019 · 20:30 local
Place: Swea City, IA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1443E
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN20LA014
Reported as: Cessna 172N
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 184 total28 in this make and model19 in the last 90 days

N1443ERegistration cancelled Apr 24, 2023 · Cessna 172NS/N 17271003 · Built 1978 Airframe modelCessna 172N Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The aircraft involved was substantially damaged when it impacted a ditch after an emergency approach to land initiated by the pilot. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The aircraft experienced a loss in oil pressure during a cross-country. Examination of the aircraft revealed the oil dipstick was located 3-5 feet directly in front of the nose of the aircraft. Pilot statements received revealed that the pilot forgot to put the oil dipstick in the engine before departure on the cross-country. The pilot stated that a smell of oil was present in the cabin during the emergency landing sequence. The engine malfunction and subsequent emergency landing was due to oil starvation.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED A DITCH AFTER AN EMERGENCY APPROACH TO LAND INITIATED BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS IN OIL PRESSURE DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE OIL DIPSTICK WAS LOCATED 3-5 FEET DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT STATEMENTS RECEIVED REVEALED THAT THE PILOT FORGOT TO PUT THE OIL DIPSTICK IN THE ENGINE BEFORE DEPARTURE ON THE CROSS-COUNTRY. THE PILOT STATED THAT A SMELL OF OIL WAS PRESENT IN THE CABIN DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING SEQUENCE. THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND SUBSEQUENT EMERGENCY LANDING WAS DUE TO OIL STARVATION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN20LA014Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportSwea City, IAThe pilot's failure to replace the oil filler cap during his preflight inspection, which resulted in oil starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power.Oct 25, 2019 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1443E · 2

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

Incident 20120220002789ILanding: Touchdown · Washington, IAUpon landing on the runway, the aircraft departed runway for unknown reason and struck a runway light. Pilot reported minor cosmetic damage to aircraft.Feb 20, 2012 · Minor damage Accident 19830918049359ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Carthage, ILGust of wind prolonged glide on landing. Failed to go around. Skidded off departure end of runway into a dtich.Sep 18, 1983 · Substantial damage