- Date
- August 14, 1985, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Saint Helena, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5259KCessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850814043219A
- Case key
- 24802
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 local personal flt, the plt said the 'engine began to run rough a shake violently.' With not enough power to maintain altitude, the plt elected to make an emergency landing in a field, however, overran the field after touchdown and collided with ground obstructions in a vineyard. Examination of the engine revealed stuck intake and exhaust valves in the number one cylinder. In addition, the exhaust valve pushrod was found separated in the middle with severe battering peening noted to the broken ends of the pushrod.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5259K
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274034
- Airframe hours
- 1,449
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bridgeport Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Juchau Family Trust
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · July 22, 1985 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- APC · Napa, CA
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
- 20
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 74 total · 74 in this make and model · 40 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- APC, 23 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.
Other investigations on N5259K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.