DFW06CA008

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172P · Hitchcock, TX · October 17, 2005

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
October 17, 2005, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
Place
Hitchcock, TX
Injuries
1 minor, 3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N53795Cessna 172P
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 28, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20051017026819A
Case key
62675

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to a cracked cylinder.

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.

Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malfCruise - normal
Engine assembly,cylinder - crackedCause
Forced landingEmergency descent/landing
On ground/water collision with objectEmergency landing
Object - hangar/airport building

Analysis

The 200-hour private pilot was conducting a local sightseeing flight. Approximately twenty-minutes after departing, the pilot reported hearing a loud bang and the engine began to run rough and lose power. The pilot located a private airport in close range and flew directly to it under partial power. Since he was high, the pilot decided to make a circular pattern to lose altitude. When he lined up with the runway, the airplane was still too high to land and the pilot elected to use full flaps and a slip to lose altitude. The pilot realized he was going to overshoot the runway and he pulled-up and added full power. The engine continued to run rough and the airplane was still losing airspeed and altitude, so the pilot decided to make another approach from the opposite direction, approaching from about 25 degrees to the right of the runway. Full flaps and a steep approach were used to lose altitude and the airplane touched down approximately two-thirds of the way down the 2,700 foot turf runway. After touching down, the pilot applied both brakes and the airplane skidded to the right, causing the right wing to come into contact with a hangar. The airplane nosed-over and come to rest in the upright position. Examination of the engine revealed a crack at the number one cylinder.

Factual narrative

The 200-hour pilot was conducting a local sightseeing flight. Approximately twenty-minutes after departing, the pilot reported hearing a loud bang and the engine began to run rough and lose power. The pilot located a private airport in close range and flew directly to it under partial power. Since he was high, the pilot elected to make a circular pattern to lose altitude. When he lined up with the runway, the airplane was still too high to land and the pilot elected to use full flaps and a slip to lose altitude. The pilot realized he was going to overshoot the runway and he pulled-up and added full power. The engine continued to run rough and the airplane was still losing airspeed and altitude, so the pilot decided to make another approach from the opposite direction, approaching from about 25 degrees to the right of the runway. Full flaps and a steep approach were used to lose altitude and the airplane touched down approximately two-thirds of the way down the 2,700 foot turf runway. The pilot applied both brakes and the airplane skidded to the right, causing the right wing to come into contact with a hangar. The airplane nosed-over coming to rest in the upright position. Examination of the airplane's engine revealed a crack at the number one cylinder.

Aircraft

Registration
N53795
Reported as
Cessna 172P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17274817
Airframe hours
18,844
Engine
Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
King Flight Service LLC
Registered owner
King Flight Service LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · October 1, 2005
Departed
T41 · La Porte, TX
Airport
37TE · Johnnie Volk Field Airport, runway 16, 2,700 × 60 ft, grass/turf

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
36
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3
Last flight review
February 1, 2004
Seat
Left
Flight hours
200 total · 175 in this make and model · 150 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
160° at 9 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
86 °F, dew point 75 °F
Altimeter
29.95 inHg
Observed at
GLS, 17 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.

Other investigations on N53795 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.