# NTSB FTW01LA085: Cessna 172RG, N4823V, Waco, TX, March 24, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 23, 2001, 18:45 local (Mar 24, 2001, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Waco, TX - Location: 31.5493° N, 97.1467° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Waco, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5493&lon=-97.1467&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 5, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 51962 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW01LA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51962/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA085 ## Probable cause the failure of the number four cylinder exhaust valve which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## 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, cruise - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - failure (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - object - fence - terrain condition - ditch - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis While in cruise flight, the engine "began to vibrate excessively and would not produce enough power to maintain altitude." Approximately 5 miles from an alternate airport, the engine "quit completely and locked up," and the pilot initiated a forced landing to a field. The airplane touched down in the field, struck a fence and a ditch, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the engine revealed that the number four exhaust valve separated from its stem and was found "wedged" in the spark plug hole. The number four exhaust valve push-rod and push-rod tube were bent aft at the cam follower end. According to the engine maintenance records, the engine was field overhauled on June 22, 1999, and had accumulated approximately 450 flight hours since overhaul at the time of the accident. ## Factual narrative On March 23, 2001, at 1845 central standard time, a Cessna 172RG single-engine airplane, N4823V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Waco, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, Fort Worth, Texas, at 1800, with a destination of Georgetown, Texas. The pilot reported that while in cruise flight, at 3,500 feet msl, the engine "began to vibrate excessively and would not produce enough power to maintain altitude." The pilot contacted Gray approach control and requested a heading to the nearest airport. Gray approach control vectored the pilot toward the McGregor Executive Airport near Waco with instructions to turn to a heading of 100 degrees. Approximately 5 miles west of the airport, the engine "quit completely and locked up," and the pilot initiated a forced landing. During the ensuing landing, the airplane touched down in a field, struck a fence and a ditch, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the aircraft by the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, revealed that the vertical stabilizer was crushed, the was empennage twisted, and the left wing strut was bent. In addition, the inspector found that the engine's number four cylinder lower spark plug housing was separated from the cylinder. On April 26, 2001, NTSB investigators and a representative of the engine manufacturer examined the Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (serial number RL-31901-36A) engine at Air Salvage of Dallas, near Lancaster, Texas. Examination of the engine revealed that the number four exhaust valve separated from its stem and was found "wedged" in the spark plug hole. The number four exhaust valve push-rod and push-rod tube were bent aft at the cam follower end. According to the engine maintenance records, the engine was field overhauled on June 22, 1999, and had accumulated approximately 450 flight hours since overhaul at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4823V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4823V), registered now, S/N 172RG0391, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172RG - Registry model: [Cessna 172RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (registry code 2072438) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172RG0391 - Airframe hours: 4900 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: David S. Cannon - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 11, 2000, 40 hours before - Departed: FTW, Fort Worth, TX - Destination: GTU, Georgetown, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 12, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 606 total, 180 in this make and model, 606 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F ## 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 20010323007319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010323007319A), Mar 23, 2001: Cessna 172RG, Mcgregor, TX, No damage. (-23)On 3/03/2001, at 1845 CDT, a Cessna 172RG, N4823V, owned by david scaott cannon, [privacy data omitted] impacted a fence and water drainage after an off… 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.