What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 16 July 2021 at about 1230 AKDT, the pilot of N7137T, a Cessna 172 incurred substantial damage during Takeoff from gravel bar on mile 8 or 9 of the yentna river in the vicinity of Skwentna, Alaska. The pilot report in the initial report to flight service indicated there was a reduction of power resulting in a rejected Takeoff and the airplane hitting a bump on the sand bar. The aircraft propeller and wing hit the ground damaging both.
The METAR at the time of the accident from talkeetna airport indicated winds 310 at 3 knots and 10 miles visibility.
Visual inspection after the aircraft was transported off the accident site indicated damage to the left wing and potentially the spar. The left wing (wet wing) had indications of a small fuel leak apparently from the damage. The insurance adjustor who went on-site stated that when he arrived to remove the aircraft from the remote location, the aircraft the fuel tank was dripping fuel. The propeller, and landing gear did not appear to sustain damage from the accident.
During engine start and run-up, the engine started and ran somewhat rough during the runup using fuel from the right fuel tank, but quit due to apparent fuel exhaustion when switched to the left tank. The oil level was 6.5 quarts as indicated. The compression was checked by the NTSB contracted mechanic and one cylinder that the mechanic stated had visual indications of operating extremely hot had 0/80 compression and the adjacent cylinder had 20/80 compression.
The pilot refused to provide a statement of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON 16 JULY 2021 AT ABOUT 1230 AKDT, THE PILOT OF N7137T, A CESSNA 172 INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAKEOFF FROM GRAVEL BAR ON MILE 8 OR 9 OF THE YENTNA RIVER IN THE VICINITY OF SKWENTNA, ALASKA. THE PILOT REPORT IN THE INITIAL REPORT TO FLIGHT SERVICE INDICATED THERE WAS A REDUCTION OF POWER RESULTING IN A REJECTED TAKEOFF AND THE AIRPLANE HITTING A BUMP ON THE SAND BAR. THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER AND WING HIT THE GROUND DAMAGING BOTH.
THE METAR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT FROM TALKEETNA AIRPORT INDICATED WINDS 310 AT 3 KNOTS AND 10 MILES VISIBILITY.
VISUAL INSPECTION AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRANSPORTED OFF THE ACCIDENT SITE INDICATED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND POTENTIALLY THE SPAR. THE LEFT WING (WET WING) HAD INDICATIONS OF A SMALL FUEL LEAK APPARENTLY FROM THE DAMAGE. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTOR WHO WENT ON-SITE STATED THAT WHEN HE ARRIVED TO REMOVE THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE REMOTE LOCATION, THE AIRCRAFT THE FUEL TANK WAS DRIPPING FUEL. THE PROPELLER, AND LANDING GEAR DID NOT APPEAR TO SUSTAIN DAMAGE FROM THE ACCIDENT.
DURING ENGINE START AND RUN-UP, THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN SOMEWHAT ROUGH DURING THE RUNUP USING FUEL FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, BUT QUIT DUE TO APPARENT FUEL EXHAUSTION WHEN SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK. THE OIL LEVEL WAS 6.5 QUARTS AS INDICATED. THE COMPRESSION WAS CHECKED BY THE NTSB CONTRACTED MECHANIC AND ONE CYLINDER THAT THE MECHANIC STATED HAD VISUAL INDICATIONS OF OPERATING EXTREMELY HOT HAD 0/80 COMPRESSION AND THE ADJACENT CYLINDER HAD 20/80 COMPRESSION.
THE PILOT REFUSED TO PROVIDE A STATEMENT OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7137T · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.