# NTSB CEN10LA449: Cessna 172P, N52708, Santa Fe, NM, August 1, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 1, 2010, 09:50 local (15:50 UTC) - Place: Santa Fe, NM - Coordinates: 35.669467, -105.950103 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6695&lon=-105.9501&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 14, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 76807 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA449 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76807/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76807 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA449 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power following a loss of oil pressure for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Eng oil sys (airframe furnish)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057900): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057900/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057900/cases.md) - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure; cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wall/barricade](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022027): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022027/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022027/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wall/barricade](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022027): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022027/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022027/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Emergency descent initiated](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he had just departed the airport when the engine completely lost oil pressure. Shortly afterward, the engine seized. The pilot performed a forced landing on a nearby mesa. During the descent, smoke was present both inside and outside the cockpit, with the majority of the smoke outside. During landing, the airplane impacted a short rock wall. When the pilot and passenger exited the airplane, smoke and flames were coming from the engine compartment. Most of the airplane was consumed during the ensuing fire. The airplane had experienced an oil leak; the oil cooler had been replaced the day before the accident. A postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal the source of an oil leak. ## Factual narrative On August 1, 2010, about 0950 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172P airplane, N52708, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Santa Fe, New Mexico, which resulted from a total loss of engine power. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight originated at Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF), Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was en-route to Double Eagle II Airport (AEG), Albuquerque, New Mexico. The airplane was operated by Sierra Aviation, LLC, and the flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot reported he had just departed SAF and was at less than 500 feet above the ground when his attention was drawn outside to look for traffic in the area. When he looked back inside and performed a scan of the engine instruments he saw the oil pressure gauge was at zero. Shortly afterward the engine seized. The pilot then performed emergency forced landing on a nearby mesa. During the descent, smoke was present both inside and outside the cockpit, with the majority of the smoke outside. During landing, the airplane impacted a short rock wall. When the pilot and passenger exited the airplane smoke and flames were coming from the engine compartment. Most of the airplane was consumed during the ensuing fire. Maintenance had been performed on the airplane on June 4, 2010, to replace the oil cooler with an overhauled unit. According to the mechanic that worked on the airplane, an oil leak was discovered in the vicinity of the oil cooler and oil filler tube a couple of days before the accident. He said he removed the cowl, cleaned the cowl and engine thoroughly, and ran the engine for several minutes at various power settings. After shutdown, he was unable to identify any leak and surmised that the oil dipstick might not have been secured. After the next flight an oil leak was evident so he elected to replace the oil cooler, which occurred on July 31, 2010. He also replaced both safety wires on the oil filler tube. Following a short run up there were no leaks detected. He did state he didn’t think the engine was warm enough to close the oil cooler bypass. The airplane was subsequently dispatched on the accident flight the next morning. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector could not identify the source of the oil leak or fire during a postaccident examination due to the impact damage and fire to the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N52708](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N52708-2010-11-22), registration cancelled 2010-11-22, S/N 17274588, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17274588 - Airframe hours: 6921 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 4, 2010 - Departed: SAF, Santa Fe, NM - Destination: AEG, Albuquerque, NM - Airport: SAF, Santa Fe Municipal Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 65 total, 65 in this make and model, 25 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 61 °F - Observed at: SAF, 6 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100801039779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100801039779A), Aug 1, 2010: Cessna 172P, Santa Fe, NM, Destroyed. On 8/01/2010 aircraft departed saf enroute to aeg. Shortly after take off, the pilot reported the engine oil pressure guage dropped to zero, then noticed the… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 8, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76807. 4.2 MB in all. - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 1, .PDF, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40367480&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40367512&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Maintenance Records (item 3, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40367513&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.