# NTSB CHI05CA074: Cessna 177RG, N1623H, Fargo, ND, February 26, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 26, 2005, 14:03 local (20:03 UTC) - Place: Fargo, ND - Coordinates: 46.920555, -96.815834 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.9206&lon=-96.8158&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Cessna Aircraft Company, Federal Aviation Administration - Fargo FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 61189 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI05CA074 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61189/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA074 ## Probable cause The mechanic's improper installation of the oil filter canister base gasket, which resulted in an oil leak and the separation of the connecting rod due to oil starvation. Factors to the accident were the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing, the tailwind condition, the light pole, and the vehicle. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, takeoff - initial climb - maintenance - improper, other maintenance personnel (cause) - lubricating system,oil gasket - improperly serviced (cause) - fluid,oil - leak (cause) - fluid,oil - starvation/exhaustion (cause) - engine assembly,connecting rod - separation (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encountered (contributing factor) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - object - pole (contributing factor) - object - vehicle (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing ## Analysis The aircraft experienced a total loss of engine power during initial climb after takeoff. The accident flight was the first flight after the oil filter had been replaced. The pilot reported that the engine began losing power about two miles south of the departure airport. He stated that the engine seized during a turn back toward the airport. He reported that the airplane did not have enough altitude remaining to glide to a runway and that he performed a downwind landing to a nearby road because there was "no place to go into the wind, even knowing I had a 29 [knot] tailwind." The pilot reported that the airplane impacted a street light and vehicle during the forced landing to a residential area. The pilot estimated that less than 30-seconds transpired between the loss of engine power and the impact with terrain. Post accident inspection of the engine revealed that the number four connecting rod had separated and protruded through the top of the engine case. An oil film covered the oil filter, the accessory case below the oil filter, and the bottom of the fuselage. The oil system was pressurized and a leak was noted around the base of the oil filter canister. Further inspection revealed that the oil filter canister bolt was not adequately torqued and its retaining safety-wire was incorrectly installed. Additionally, the canister base gasket was incorrectly installed which allowed oil to leak out from the canister base. No leaks were noted after the gasket was repositioned and the canister was reinstalled. The pilot reported that the oil-pressure was "in green" during an engine run-up check completed prior to takeoff. Several individuals reported there was an approximately 4-foot diameter oil spill in the ramp area used by the accident airplane for start-up and pre-takeoff operations. ## Factual narrative On February 26, 2005, at 1403 central standard time, a Cessna 177RG, N1623H, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during initial climb from runway 18 (9,000 feet by 150 feet, grooved concrete) at Hector International Airport (FAR), Fargo, North Dakota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane delivery flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight was destined for Festus Memorial Airport (FES), Festus, Missouri. The airplane was recently sold and a pre-buy inspection of the airplane was completed on February 23, 2005, as a condition of the sale. During this inspection the engine oil filter was replaced. The accident flight was the first leg of a delivery flight from FAR to Charlotte, North Carolina. The airplane had accumulated 0.1 hours since the pre-buy inspection. The pilot reported that the engine began losing power about two miles south of FAR. The pilot stated that he began a turn back toward FAR and informed air traffic control (ATC) of the loss of engine power. The pilot reported that the engine seized during the turn back to the airport and the airplane did not have enough altitude remaining to glide to a runway. The pilot performed a downwind landing to a nearby road because there was "no place to go into the wind, even knowing I had a 29 [knot] tailwind." The pilot reported that the airplane impacted a street light and vehicle during the forced landing to a residential area. The pilot estimated that less than 30-seconds transpired between the loss of engine power and the impact with terrain. The pilot reported that the oil-pressure was "in green" during an engine run-up check completed prior to takeoff. Several individuals reported there was an approximately 4-foot diameter oil spill on the ramp area used by the accident airplane for start-up and pre-takeoff operations. Inspection of the engine revealed that the number four connecting rod had separated and protruded through the top of the engine case. An oil film covered the oil filter, the accessory case below the oil filter, and the bottom of the fuselage. The oil system was pressurized with nitrogen and a leak was noted around the base of the oil filter canister. The oil filter safety-wire was tensioned to the counter-clockwise (left) direction. A torque-wrench was used to measure the installation torque of the canister bolt. The bolt began tightening at 15 ft/lbs and the bolt had rotated 90-degrees at 25 ft/lbs. The recommended torque value for the canister bolt is 20 to 25 ft/lbs. The leak at the oil fileter canister base persisted after the canister bolt had been retorqued. The oil filter canister was removed and approximately 1/4 of the canister base gasket circumference was observed to be displaced (folded) to the inside of the canister sealing surface. No leaks were noted after the gasket was repositioned and the canister was reinstalled and torqued to 15 ft/lbs. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1623H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1623H-2008-08-12), registration cancelled 2008-08-12, S/N 177RG0796, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 177RG - Registry model: [Cessna 177RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177rg) (registry code 2073709) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1b6d) (registry code 41593, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 177RG0796 - Airframe hours: 2841.9 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: James George III - Registered owner: Trip Air, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 10, 2004, 2.8 hours before - Departed: FAR, Fargo, ND - Destination: FES, Festus, MO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: serious; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review July 12, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 5,000 total, 50 in this make and model, 5,000 as pilot in command, 90 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 23 knots, gusting 30 - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: FAR ## 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 20050226002459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050226002459A), Feb 26, 2005: Cessna 177RG, Fargo, ND, Substantial damage. (-23) On 2/26/2005 at approximately 1400 CST, a Cessna 177RG, owned by trip air, inc. and flown by [privacy data omitted] was substantially damaged during a… 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.