- Date
- August 19, 1994, 17:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place
- Clarksburg, TN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9797VCessna 172XP
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19940819022509A
- Case key
- 3434
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 alternator drive coupling, and debris from the failed coupling that lodged in the engine oil pump, resulting in a sheared oil pump drive shaft. The engine subsequently failed because of oil starvation.
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 en route to his destination airport, the pilot experienced complete loss of engine power. The pilot selected a pasture and made an emergency landing. During the rollout, the airplane collided with trees along a fence line. Examination of the engine disclosed that the alternator drive coupling failed, and debris from the coupling lodged in the engine oil pump drive; the engine experienced a loss of engine oil pressure.
Factual narrative
On August 19, 1994, at 1740 central daylight time, a Cessna, N9797V, collided with trees while attempting an emergency landing in a pasture near Clarksburg, Tennessee. The business flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with a visual flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The aircraft received substantial damage, the pilot was not injured. The flight departed Nashville, Tennessee, at 1640 hours.
According to the pilot, while flying at 2500 feet enroute to his destination airport, the engine sputtered twice and lost power. After the second occurrence, the pilot selected a pasture for an emergency landing. During the landing rollout, the airplane collided with a fence and trees.
The engine examination revealed that the engine sustained oil starvation damage. Steel and rubber debris from internal engine components were recovered from the engine oil sump. The examination also revealed that the alternator drive gear had sheared and was lodged in the accessary pad opening; the engine oil pump drive shaft had also sheared (see attached inspector's statement).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9797V
- Reported as
- Cessna 172XP
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1722350
- Airframe hours
- 1,087
- Engine
- Continental IO-360-K, 195 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bryan, Thomas E. Sr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 31, 1993 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- JWN · Nashville, TN
- Destination
- OLV · Memphis, TN
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 64
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,238 total · 100 in this make and model · 17 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MKL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.