# NTSB ERA19LA079: Cessna 172, N3015E, Fort Lauderdale, FL, December 24, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 24, 2018, 13:44 local (18:44 UTC) - Place: Fort Lauderdale, FL - Coordinates: 25.909444, -80.120552 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.9094&lon=-80.1206&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 13, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 98856 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA19LA079 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98856/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98856 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA079 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power due to the fatigue fracture of the No. 2 exhaust rocker arm stud. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng cyl section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 373 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md) - [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng cyl section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 373 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) - [Landing: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 261 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the flight instructor, he and a student pilot were conducting a local, instructional flight. The instructor reported that, while flying about 800 ft above a shoreline, the engine started to vibrate, and it then lost all power. He tried to restart the engine twice to no avail. On the third attempt, the engine started, but it would not produce more than 1,200 rpm. The instructor saw people on the beach and decided to land on the water. When the main landing gear touched down on the water, the airplane immediately flipped over, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. Examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 exhaust rocker arm stud was fractured. Metallurgical examination of the fracture surfaces on the rocker arm stud revealed that it had fractured due to fatigue. The fatigue fracture of the No. 2 exhaust rocker arm stud likely led to the loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On December 24, 2018, about 1344 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172N, N3015E, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The flight instructor, student pilot, and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The airplane was owned by Air Con LLC, and operated by Airplanes 4 Rent, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about 1330. According to the flight instructor, they were flying along the shoreline at 800 ft above ground level (agl). The engine started to vibrate and then experienced a complete loss of power. The flight instructor tried to restart the engine twice, but the engine did not start. He set up for an emergency landing on the beach. At 200 ft. agl, he noticed a pier and knew he had to fly over the pier to make a safe landing on the other side. He tried to restart the engine for a third time and the engine restarted but did not produce power over 1,200 rpm. Once over the pier, he saw people on the beach and decided to land in the ocean. When the main landing gear touched the water, the airplane immediately flipped over. All four occupants egressed the airplane. During the landing, the vertical stabilizer and rudder were damaged. Examination of the engine by a NTSB investigator revealed that the No. 2 exhaust rocker arm stud fractured. Engine continuity was established by rotating the propeller by hand and visually verifying that the pistons and push rods moved on all cylinders. No other anomalies were noted. The rocker arm stud was sent to NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC, for examination. The examination of the fracture surface revealed characteristics consistent with a fatigue fracture. Review of maintenance records did not reveal if and when the stud was ever replaced or inspected during the major overhaul. The four-seat, single-engine, high-wing airplane was built in 1978, and equipped with a Lycoming O-320-series engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed on December 19, 2018. At the time of the inspection, the airframe total time was 5,295.0 hours and the engine had 1,568.7 hours since major overhaul. The major overhaul was completed on May 10, 2006. According to the airplane owner, he purchased the airplane in February 2018 from AIG insurance as a salvage purchase. The airplane was located in Belize City, Belize. The airplane was damaged by a trolley that rolled into it and damaged the left-wing strut, rudder, and elevator. He flew down, repaired the airplane, and flew it back to Fort Lauderdale. He performed an annual inspection in May 2018 and put it into rental service at that time. The airplane flew for 218 hours before the accident. The flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate, with a rating for airplane single-engine land, andinstrument airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration first-class medical certificate was issued on October 26, 2017. He reported 1,580.5 total hours of flight experience at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3015E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3015E), registered now, S/N 17271404, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (N) - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17271404 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 5295 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 19, 2018, 20 hours before - Departed: FXE, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Destination: FXE, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Equipment: Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 25; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 13, 2017; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,580.5 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 1,567.4 as pilot in command - Student pilot; age 27; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: KOPF, 9 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 20181224022369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181224022369A), Dec 24, 2018: Cessna 172N, Miami, FL, Substantial damage. N3015E departed fxe for a flight along the shoreline. While at cruise, N3015E experienced a rough running engine before stopping. On 3rd attempt, the engine… ## Other investigations on N3015E (2) 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. - [NTSB NYC08CA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA110), Feb 19, 2008: Cessna 172N (N3015E), Perry, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing. Contributing to the accident were the gusting winds. - [NTSB ATL06CA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL06CA118), Nov 7, 2005: Cessna 172N (N3015E), Perry, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a touch-and-go landing on initial takeoff climb, resulting in a hard landing on the departure runway. ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98856. 7.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476352&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record – Telephone Interview, Flight Instructor (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476353&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Telephone%20Interview,%20Flight%20Instructor-Master.PDF - Student Pilot Statement (item 3, .PDF, 174 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476354&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Owners Statement (item 4, .PDF, 202 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476355&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Owners%20Statement-Master.PDF - Materials Laboratory Factual Report (item 5, .PDF, 2 photos, 169 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476356&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records (item 6, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476357&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records-Master.PDF - Investigative Photos (item 7, .PDF, 3 photos, 334 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476358&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Investigative%20Photos-Master.PDF - Evidence Control Form (item 8, .PDF, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476359&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Evidence%20Control%20Form-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 9, .PDF, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476360&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Master.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.