20230414014609A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 177RG · Crestview, FL · April 14, 2023

Date: April 14, 2023 · 13:42 local
Place: Crestview, FL
Airport: Destin Exec
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7542V
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA23LA197
Reported as: Cessna 177RG
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 517 total

N7542VRegistered now · Cessna 177RGS/N 177RG0839 · Built 1976 Airframe modelCessna 177RG Engine modelLycoming IO-360-A1B6DReciprocating

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.

Pilot had been operating at an altitude approximately 1500 ft north of kcew. Without warning or any other indications, the aircraft expereinced extreme vibration from engine. Concerned the engine would separate from the aircraft and the given distance from the airport, the pilot was forced to make an off-field landing. The aircraft was substantially damaged.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT HAD BEEN OPERATING AT AN ALTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 1500 FT NORTH OF KCEW. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY OTHER INDICATIONS, THE AIRCRAFT EXPEREINCED EXTREME VIBRATION FROM ENGINE. CONCERNED THE ENGINE WOULD SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE GIVEN DISTANCE FROM THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN OFF-FIELD LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

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 ERA23LA197Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCrestview, FLThe total loss of engine power due to the loosening and separation of the No. 1 connecting rod cap nuts in flight, resulting in catastrophic internal engine damage. Contributing to the accident was the pilot/owner’s failure to comply with the engine…Apr 14, 2023 · Substantial damage