# NTSB CEN14LA320: Cessna 172XP, N758HP, St. Cloud, MN, June 20, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 20, 2014, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: St. Cloud, MN - Coordinates: 45.549999, -94.166664 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5500&lon=-94.1667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 22, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 89544 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA320 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89544/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89544 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA320 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain the proper airspeed and angle-of-attack after a partial loss of engine power on takeoff, which resulted in a stall and the subsequent impact with water. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of engine power due to the No. 3 cylinder not producing compression for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that everything was normal when he conducted a preflight inspection and engine run-up of the single-engine, float-equipped airplane before takeoff from a lake. The airplane departed, and, as it began to climb, the engine started to lose power. The airplane then stalled, the left wing dropped and struck the water, and the airplane flipped inverted and eventually sank. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that, when the propeller was rotated manually, all of the engine cylinders, except for the No. 3 cylinder, produced compression. The intake valve, exhaust valve, and rocker arm moved when the propeller was rotated. No further examination of the engine was conducted, and the reason for the No. 3 cylinder's failure to produce compression could not be determined. It is likely that, as the engine began to lose power, the pilot did not maintain the proper airspeed or angle-of-attack, which led to a stall and the subsequent impact with water. ## Factual narrative On June 20, 2014, about 1600 central daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 172, N758HP, sustained substantial damage shortly after take off from Pickerel Lake, near St. Cloud, Minnesota. The private pilot and the two passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot stated that he conducted a pre-flight inspection of the airplane and performed an engine run-up prior to takeoff and everything was normal. The pilot then departed the lake on a north westerly heading. As the airplane began to climb, the engine began to lose power. The airplane then stalled and the left wing struck the water. The airplane flipped over and sank inverted into the lake. All three occupants were able to exit the airplane on their own. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and both floats were crushed. The propeller was also damaged. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that when the engine was turned via manual rotation of the propeller, all but the No. 3 cylinder produced compression. Both the intake and exhaust valves and also the rocker arm moved as well. No further examination of the engine was conducted and the reason as to why the cylinder did not produce compression was not determined. Weather reported at St. Cloud Regional Airport (STC), St. Cloud, Minnesota, about 5 miles south of the accident, at 1553, was wind from 150 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, broken clouds at 8,500 feet, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 17 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.88 inches of Hg. ## Aircraft - Registration: N758HP (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172XP - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 356280 - Year built: 1979 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-360 SER reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Eich Todd A - Registered owner: Eich Todd A - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 23, 2014 - Departed: St. Cloud, MN - Destination: St. Cloud, MN - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 24, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 600 total, 350 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Observed at: 5TC, 10 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 20140620010229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140620010229A), Jun 20, 2014: Cessna R172K, St. Cloud, MN, Substantial damage. Pilot departed lake on a northwest takeoff run. Winds were calm on the water, and reported from 150 degrees at 7 knots at the kstc airport. After liftoff, the… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 15, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89544. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40421437&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40421438&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - FAA Record of Conversation - Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40421439&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-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.