- Date
- February 11, 1996, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hedley, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7358GCessna 172K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 9, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960211047439A
- Case key
- 19760
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the failure of maintenance personnel to properly torque the connecting rod bolts. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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.
Analysis
During a cross country flight, the airplane's engine seized. During the emergency landing the 'front wheel caught' in some sandy soil and the airplane nosed over. An examination of the engine revealed that one connecting rod bolt nut from the #4 connecting rod was off the bolt and found loose in the crankcase. The #4 piston pin boss was broken and the piston pin was found loose in the crankcase. The #4 connecting rod bearings were destroyed. The connecting rod bolts on the #1 and #2 connecting rods were not at the prescribed torque.
Factual narrative
On February 11, 1996, at 1730 central standard time, a Cessna 172K, N7358G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Hedley, Texas. The instrument rated private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was being operated by the owner as a personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Memphis, Texas, at 1715. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross country flight for which a flight plan was not filed.
The pilot reported that he was returning to Amarillo, Texas, from Memphis, Texas. The pilot stated that, "the engine suddenly started making a clanging noise, about five seconds later, a big bang, [and] the propeller stopped, straight up and down." An emergency landing to a hay field was made. During the landing the "front wheel caught" in some sandy soil and the airplane flipped over.
The engine was examined at Horton Aero Services, Lubbock, Texas, on February 15, 1996. The examination revealed that one connecting rod bolt nut from the #4 connecting rod was off the bolt and found loose in the crankcase. The #4 piston pin boss was broken and the piston pin was found loose in the crankcase. The #4 connecting rod bearings were destroyed. The connecting rod bolts on the #1 and #2 connecting rods were not at the prescribed torque. The last major engine overhaul was 35 hours prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7358G
- Reported as
- Cessna 172K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17259058
- Airframe hours
- 5,884
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Troy Harrison
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 10, 1995
- Departed
- F21 · Memphis, TX
- Destination
- TDW · Amarillo, TX
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
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 574 total · 240 in this make and model · 45 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 5 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.