- Date
- September 10, 2000, 15:05 local (19:05 UTC)
- Place
- Tampa, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9977GCessna 188
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 8, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000910016319A
- Case key
- 50279
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the number six-piston connecting rod that resulted in the total loss of engine power.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While enroute to the staging area to drop the banner, the engine, without warning, appeared to accelerate into an over-speed condition. Seconds later, the engine lost power and quit. The airplane collided with a utility line as the pilot maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing. Examination of the engine revealed, that the number six-piston arm assembly broke through the engine case. There was no oil in the engine and the engine had seized. The engine had undergone recent major repairs.
Factual narrative
On September 10, 2000, at 1505 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 188, N9977G, collided with a utility line and the ground during an attempted forced landing following a loss of engine power near Tampa, Florida. American Outdoor Advertising operated the Banner Tow Flight under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the commercial pilot was not injured. The flight departed the Banner Tow staging area at the Tampa North Aero Park in Tampa, Florida, at 1403.
According to the pilot, he had completed the advertising mission for this banner, and was enroute to the staging area to drop the banner. While enroute, the engine, without warning, appeared to accelerate into an over-speed condition. Seconds later, the engine lost power and quit. The pilot selected an area for a forced landing and established an approach. While on final approach to land, the airplane collided with a utility line as the pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid a collision with a pile of lumber.
The on-site examination of the airplane disclosed that there was a hole in the engine crankcase. The examination also revealed that the number six connecting rod cap was disconnected and the connecting rod had punched through the crankcase. Further examination of the engine disclosed that the there was no lubrication oil in the engine case, and that the engine had seized. According to the operator, the engine had recently undergone major repairs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9977G
- Reported as
- Cessna 188
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 188-00777
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- American Outdoor Advertising
- Registered owner
- Crakes Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Departed
- X39 · FL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 200 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TPE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.