# NTSB ERA22LA217: Cessna 172N, N737LY, Toms River, NJ, May 1, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 1, 2022, 18:20 local (22:20 UTC) - Place: Toms River, NJ - Coordinates: 39.927425, -74.294197 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9274&lon=-74.2942&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 105039 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA217 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105039/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105039 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA217 ## Probable cause Loss of engine power due to the throttle linkage becoming disconnected in flight due to improper maintenance. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Maintenance: installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 371 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md) - [Oversight: oversight of maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04032020): Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring · Operator; cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04032020/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04032020/cases.md) - [Engine controls](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057600): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Related maintenance info (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057600/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057600/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR go-around: 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) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that, during an instructional flight, he told the student to set up for landing on runway 6. When they were at an altitude of about 400 ft above ground level, the flight instructor told him to apply full power since for a go-around. When the student applied full power, the engine did not respond. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and tried to land on runway 24. The flight instructor knew they would not make the runway, so he tried to land in the grass and the left wing contacted a fence and flipped the airplane over, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer and horizontal stabilizer. The flight instructor stated that he thought the throttle cable had become disconnected. A postaccident examination revealed that the throttle cable was not connected to the carburetor. An AN drilled bolt was found at the bottom of the cowling; however, the castellated nut was not located. Review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that the engine had been recently overhauled and installed in the airplane. Further conversations with the flight instructor, who was also the mechanic, stated that it is possible he forgot to install the cotter pin into the castellated nut and the bolt fell out. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N737LY](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N737LY), registered now, S/N 17269512, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - 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: 17269512 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 6300 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Old Bridge Flight School - Registered owner: N8074e LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 13, 2022 - Departed: 3N6, Englishtown, NJ - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: KMJX, Ocean county airport, runway 24, 5,950 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: none; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 22, 2022; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 23,000 total, 11,000 in this make and model, 14,700 as pilot in command, 70 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; injuries: none; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 72 total, 72 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Icing: Clear - Observed at: KNEL, 7 nm away - METAR: KNEL 012200Z AUTO 14009KT 10SM FEW095 SCT120 18/04 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP179 T01780044 $ ## 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 20220501006439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220501006439A), May 1, 2022: Cessna 172N, Toms River, NJ, Substantial damage. At approximately 1700 EDT, departed old bridge airport (3N6) enroute to Ocean County Airport (mjx) to conduct flight instruction. During approach to rnwy 14 at… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 14, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105039. 16.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13874012&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13873065&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview-%20pilot-mechanic-IA-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 3, PDF, 11 pages, 13.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13874554&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N737LY%20Maintenance%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13873663&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photo%27s-Rel.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.