# Incident 20260509005359I: Cessna 172K, Bancroft, NE, May 9, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 9, 2026, 08:00 local time
- Place: Bancroft, NE
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.0104° N, 96.5735° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bancroft, NE, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0104&lon=-96.5735&mi=10
- Aircraft: N79002, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N79002) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172K (registry code 2072430, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172K
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 201 total, 201 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260509005359I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE FROM FREMONT, NE (KFET) TO SOUIX CITY IA (K7K7) AT 2500 FT ALTITUDE WITH A PILOT REPORTED A 60 DEGREE AIR TEMP AND AREA HUMIDITY READING OF 65 TO 75% REPORTED BY METAR. PILOT STATED THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH WHILE ENROUTE. PILOT APPLIED CARB HEAT BUT, NOT SEEING ANY IMMEDIATE RESPONSE HE SHUT THE CARB HEAT OFF. PILOT CONTACTED ATC AT SOUIX CITY (KSUX) AND ASKED FOR NEAREST AIRPORT. PILOT WAS GIVEN AIRPORT K0C4 BY SUX ATC AT HIS 1 O'CLOCK AND 9 MILES DISTANCE. PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE HAD AN OPEN FIELD INFRONT OF HIM AND ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT IN THE FIELD. AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY IN THE FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE EAST OF COUNTY ROAD 24 AND 1/4 MILE SOUTH OF W ROAD NORTH OF BANCROFT, NE WITH NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGERS. POST INCIDENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING. POST INCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY DEFECTS TO THE ENGINE OR AIRCRAFT THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE REPORTED BY THE PILOT. FUEL, ENGINE CONTROLS, CARB HEAT CONTROLS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE COMPRESSION WERE INSPECTED WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. ENGINE WAS TEST RUN IN MY PRESENCE. AIRCRAFT RAN NORMALLY, WITH STANDARD MAGNETO DROP AT 1800 RPM ON BOTH MAGS AND MADE FULL POWER DURING STATIC RUN UP. AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN FROM THE INCIDENT LOCATION BACK TO ITS HOME BASE.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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