20230504010899I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Cessna 172R · Torrance, CA · May 4, 2023

Date: May 4, 2023 · 13:20 local
Place: Torrance, CA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N174GF
Reported as: Cessna 172R
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0

N174GFRegistered now · Cessna 172RS/N 17280532 · Built 1998 Airframe modelCessna 172R Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

05/04/2023 1320 Pdt- toa airport-

Aircraft departed 29R for demo flight. At approximately 500FT AGL a loud bang was heard from engine compartment, engine stated vibrating violently and engine lost most of its power. Pilot radioed tower of an engine failure and would be returning to land. Pilot executed a 180 turn and landed 11L. Landing was long and aircraft could not be stopped before end of runway. Aircraft slid off end of 11L into a dirt field and came to a stop. Aircraft sustained two flat tires due to locked up brakes and wearing through both tires with no further damage. Aircraft was towed to parking.

Investigation revealed #1 cylinder head cracked completely off at head/cylinder junction. Investigation revealed cylinder had 1100 hrs since new with no maintenance performed since installation. Investigation of mechanic who did last inspection did not reveal any abnormalities, or known defects.

As the FAA filed it

05/04/2023 1320 PDT- TOA AIRPORT-

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED 29R FOR DEMO FLIGHT. AT APPROXIMATELY 500FT AGL A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ENGINE STATED VIBRATING VIOLENTLY AND ENGINE LOST MOST OF ITS POWER. PILOT RADIOED TOWER OF AN ENGINE FAILURE AND WOULD BE RETURNING TO LAND. PILOT EXECUTED A 180 TURN AND LANDED 11L. LANDING WAS LONG AND AIRCRAFT COULD NOT BE STOPPED BEFORE END OF RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT SLID OFF END OF 11L INTO A DIRT FIELD AND CAME TO A STOP. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED TWO FLAT TIRES DUE TO LOCKED UP BRAKES AND WEARING THROUGH BOTH TIRES WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE. AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO PARKING.

INVESTIGATION REVEALED #1 CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED COMPLETELY OFF AT HEAD/CYLINDER JUNCTION. INVESTIGATION REVEALED CYLINDER HAD 1100 HRS SINCE NEW WITH NO MAINTENANCE PERFORMED SINCE INSTALLATION. INVESTIGATION OF MECHANIC WHO DID LAST INSPECTION DID NOT REVEAL ANY ABNORMALITIES, OR KNOWN DEFECTS.