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20200227002099A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 170A · Baker City, OR · February 27, 2020

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 27, 2020 · 15:20 local
Place
Baker City, OR
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5478C
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR20LA097
Reported as
Cessna 170A
Reported engine
Continental C145 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
2,500 total1,000 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days
N5478CRegistration cancelled Jul 30, 2022 · Cessna 170AS/N 19512 · Built 1950Airframe modelCessna 170AEngine modelContinental C145 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.

On the afternoon of February 27, 2020, the pilot of Cessna 170A N5487C departed the airport at Baker City, OR (bkr) with one passenger planning a short local flight to warm up his engine oil prior to an oil change. After about 20 minutes of flight and while about 7 sm south of the bke airport, the engine started running rough and the pilot noticed the oil pressure had decreased to ?0?. Maximum engine speed attainable was 2,200 RPM and the pilot was able to maintain altitude, but due to the presence of the city of Baker between him and the airport and his lack of confidence in continued engine operation he elected to make a precautionary landing in an unimproved grass/hay field. During the landing the outer left wing of the aircraft struck an object damaging the front spar. After landing the pilot attempted to taxi the aircraft out of the middle of the field and closer to a farmhouse. During that taxi one of his main wheels dropped into an irrigation ditch causing a prop strike. Examination of the engine revealed a cracked crankcase.

As the FAA filed it

ON THE AFTERNOON OF FEBRUARY 27, 2020, THE PILOT OF CESSNA 170A N5487C DEPARTED THE AIRPORT AT BAKER CITY, OR (BKR) WITH ONE PASSENGER PLANNING A SHORT LOCAL FLIGHT TO WARM UP HIS ENGINE OIL PRIOR TO AN OIL CHANGE. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF FLIGHT AND WHILE ABOUT 7 SM SOUTH OF THE BKE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND THE PILOT NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE HAD DECREASED TO ?0?. MAXIMUM ENGINE SPEED ATTAINABLE WAS 2,200 RPM AND THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, BUT DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF THE CITY OF BAKER BETWEEN HIM AND THE AIRPORT AND HIS LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN CONTINUED ENGINE OPERATION HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN AN UNIMPROVED GRASS/HAY FIELD. DURING THE LANDING THE OUTER LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN OBJECT DAMAGING THE FRONT SPAR. AFTER LANDING THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAXI THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD AND CLOSER TO A FARMHOUSE. DURING THAT TAXI ONE OF HIS MAIN WHEELS DROPPED INTO AN IRRIGATION DITCH CAUSING A PROP STRIKE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A CRACKED CRANKCASE.

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 WPR20LA097Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBaker City, ORThe failure of the No. 2 connecting rod bearing as a result of oil starvation due to a contaminated oil filter screen.Feb 27, 2020 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5478C · 1

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

Accident 19830815040529ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Ramona, CAWind shifted on touchdown. Pilot lost control. Ground looped off the runway collapsing the left main gear.Aug 15, 1983 · Substantial damage