What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 22, 2024 privacy data omitted Cessna 172N s/n 17270909 made an off airport landing at privacy data omitted, Nicholls, GA. The aircraft was enroute to heart of Georgia regional airport (ezm) eastman, GA. From melbourne orlando intl airport (mlb) melbourne FL.
The pilot stated he was at 7000 feet and was breaking in and out of clouds and his OAT reading was 0 degrees. He requested to ATC to descend to 4000 feet and was given the clearance. Once he reached 4000 feet, he advanced the throttle for cruise power and the RPM did not respond. The pilot then checked to make sure he had carb heat on thinking that maybe he was experiencing carb icing. At this time the RPM declined to about 1200 and he immediately pitched the nose for 65 degrees AOA. He completed the engine failure checklist. Once the checklist was complete and no increase in RPM he declared an emergency at 3500 feet.
The controller informed the pilot that Douglas municipal airport (dqh) was 10 miles away but he determined he could not make that distance. The pilot stated he was looking for a spot to land and saw a drag strip that he could land at. He moved the throttles again while gliding to the drag strip and realized the RPM was not reacting. As he was landing, he struck a power line with the propeller. The line snapped and he landed on the drag strip.
I arrived at the drag strip April 23 @ 0900. I looked over the aircraft and noted minor damage on the propeller (front and aft side), arching on lower nose cowl, r/h wing leading edge , and scuff marks on windscreen from the powerline.
Fuel samples were obtained from the l/h & r/h wings (9 gallons l/h wing no visible water) (10 gallons r/h wing no visible water). Engine had adequate oil level.
Removed upper and lower nose cowls to visually inspect the engine. While inspecting the carburetor it was discovered that the throttle linkage was disconnected, and no securing nut or cotter pin was located. It was also discovered that the fuel mixture nut did not have a cotter pin.
After talking with the privacy data omitted, he gave the authorization to reattach the throttle linkage and start the engine. The engine operated normally with throttle advancement.
Review of the aircraft log books shows the engine was replaced April 19, 2024 tach time 1044.8 with an overhauled engine p/n 0-320-D2J s/n RL-14702-39E. 100 hour insp completed March 21,2024 tach time 995.7.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 22, 2024 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CESSNA 172N S/N 17270909 MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, NICHOLLS, GA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE TO HEART OF GEORGIA REGIONAL AIRPORT (EZM) EASTMAN, GA. FROM MELBOURNE ORLANDO INTL AIRPORT (MLB) MELBOURNE FL.
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS AT 7000 FEET AND WAS BREAKING IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS AND HIS OAT READING WAS 0 DEGREES. HE REQUESTED TO ATC TO DESCEND TO 4000 FEET AND WAS GIVEN THE CLEARANCE. ONCE HE REACHED 4000 FEET, HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE FOR CRUISE POWER AND THE RPM DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT THEN CHECKED TO MAKE SURE HE HAD CARB HEAT ON THINKING THAT MAYBE HE WAS EXPERIENCING CARB ICING. AT THIS TIME THE RPM DECLINED TO ABOUT 1200 AND HE IMMEDIATELY PITCHED THE NOSE FOR 65 DEGREES AOA. HE COMPLETED THE ENGINE FAILURE CHECKLIST. ONCE THE CHECKLIST WAS COMPLETE AND NO INCREASE IN RPM HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AT 3500 FEET.
THE CONTROLLER INFORMED THE PILOT THAT DOUGLAS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (DQH) WAS 10 MILES AWAY BUT HE DETERMINED HE COULD NOT MAKE THAT DISTANCE. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS LOOKING FOR A SPOT TO LAND AND SAW A DRAG STRIP THAT HE COULD LAND AT. HE MOVED THE THROTTLES AGAIN WHILE GLIDING TO THE DRAG STRIP AND REALIZED THE RPM WAS NOT REACTING. AS HE WAS LANDING, HE STRUCK A POWER LINE WITH THE PROPELLER. THE LINE SNAPPED AND HE LANDED ON THE DRAG STRIP.
I ARRIVED AT THE DRAG STRIP APRIL 23 @ 0900. I LOOKED OVER THE AIRCRAFT AND NOTED MINOR DAMAGE ON THE PROPELLER (FRONT AND AFT SIDE), ARCHING ON LOWER NOSE COWL, R/H WING LEADING EDGE , AND SCUFF MARKS ON WINDSCREEN FROM THE POWERLINE.
FUEL SAMPLES WERE OBTAINED FROM THE L/H & R/H WINGS (9 GALLONS L/H WING NO VISIBLE WATER) (10 GALLONS R/H WING NO VISIBLE WATER). ENGINE HAD ADEQUATE OIL LEVEL.
REMOVED UPPER AND LOWER NOSE COWLS TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE ENGINE. WHILE INSPECTING THE CARBURETOR IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS DISCONNECTED, AND NO SECURING NUT OR COTTER PIN WAS LOCATED. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL MIXTURE NUT DID NOT HAVE A COTTER PIN.
AFTER TALKING WITH THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HE GAVE THE AUTHORIZATION TO REATTACH THE THROTTLE LINKAGE AND START THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY WITH THROTTLE ADVANCEMENT.
REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT LOG BOOKS SHOWS THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED APRIL 19, 2024 TACH TIME 1044.8 WITH AN OVERHAULED ENGINE P/N 0-320-D2J S/N RL-14702-39E. 100 HOUR INSP COMPLETED MARCH 21,2024 TACH TIME 995.7.
Other reports on N739YH · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.