- Date
- March 15, 1988, 08:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Butler, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N78840Cessna 172K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880315071729A
- Case key
- 7719
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The plt rptd that he observed the engine oil pressure indication drop to zero during a low-level pipeline patrol flight. He attempted to increase engine pwr and initiate a climb, but the engine began to run rough. He subsequently landed on the pipeline right-of-way, where the airplane collided with rough terrain and nosed over. Post-crash exam of the engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure. Subsequent engine test-runs revealed normal oil pressure indications, on both the cockpit gauge and an external, direct-reading gauge.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N78840
- Reported as
- Cessna 172K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17257786
- Airframe hours
- 14,460
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Mccords Aerial Patrol Systems
- Registered owner
- Mc Cord'S Aerial Patrol
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 18, 1987 · 58 hours before
- Departed
- Alexander City, AL
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 23,000 total · 7,000 in this make and model · 19,500 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.