# NTSB ERA22LA392: Cessna 172N, N204BE, Gates Mills, OH, August 30, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 30, 2022, 10:55 local (14:55 UTC) - Place: Gates Mills, OH - Coordinates: 41.556838, -81.40834 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5568&lon=-81.4083&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: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 2 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105833 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA392 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105833/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105833 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA392 ## Probable cause The instructor pilot’s decision to perform an inflight magneto check with no suitable area to land. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to correctly perform a magneto check that resulted in a total loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [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) - [Emergency descent: 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) ## Analysis The pilot, seated in the left seat, said that the instructor pilot, seated in the right seat, asked her to perform a magneto check inflight. During the magneto check, the pilot inadvertently turned the engine ignition key to the off position resulting in a total loss of engine power. As the pilot turned the key to restart the engine, the head of the ignition key broke off. The instructor pilot transferred the controls to the pilot and attempted to move the ignition key but was also unsuccessful. The instructor pilot took the controls and performed an emergency landing into a school football field. The airplane landed hard and sustained substantial damage to the firewall, both wings, engine mount and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N204BE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N204BE-2024-02-28), registration cancelled 2024-02-28, S/N 17271338, built 1978 (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: 17271338 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 13388 - Engines: Lycoming O320D2G 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Pink Skies Inc - Registered owner: Pink Skies Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 29, 2022 - Departed: CGF, Richmond Heights, OH - Destination: YNG, Youngstown, OH - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 12, 2021; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 303.1 total, 59.1 in this make and model, 224.4 as pilot in command, 75.1 in the last 90 days, 31.8 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 79; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: front; restraint: 3-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 6 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: KCGF, 3 nm away - METAR: KCGF 301345Z COR 21006KT 5SM -RA SCT023 BKN070 OVC090 21/19 A2990 ## 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 20220830016949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220830016949A), Aug 30, 2022: Cessna 172N, Mayfield, OH, Destroyed. Flight departed cgf (VFR) to yng to pick up a new aircraft. During the departure at around 1700FT, according to [privacy data omitted] had [privacy data… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 7, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105833. 4.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15130125&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N204BE_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15130498&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA22LA392-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.