- Date
- May 8, 2004, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Shirley, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1754DCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-11
- FAA report
- 20040508026709A
- Case key
- 59186
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 pilot's inadequate pre-flight inspection, which resulted in his failure to remove the engine inlet covers and subsequent loss of engine power.
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
The pilot conducted a preflight inspection of the airplane and departed for a local flight. Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, he noticed a drop in engine oil pressure and RPM. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost all power and the pilot performed a successful forced landing to a parking lot. After landing, the pilot exited the airplane and observed smoke and fire emanating from the cowling. He also observed that the engine cowling plugs were still in place. The fire spread and consumed the airplane. Examination of the of the engine did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
On May 8, 2004, about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N1754D, experienced a loss of engine power, and was destroyed after a forced landing in Shirley, New York. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Brookhaven Airport, Shirley, New York. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, he conducted a preflight inspection of the airplane and departed for a local flight. Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, he noticed a drop in engine oil pressure and RPM. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost all power and the pilot performed a successful forced landing to a parking lot. After landing, the pilot exited the airplane and observed smoke and fire emanating from the cowling. He also observed that the engine cowling plugs were still in place. The fire spread and consumed the airplane.
Examination of the of the engine did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. Nor did the pilot report any.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1754D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20344
- Airframe hours
- 3,986
- Engine
- Continental C-145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jeff A. Miller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 25, 2003 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- HWV · Shirley, NY
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 4, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 489 total · 350 in this make and model · 404 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.38 inHg
- Observed at
- HWV
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.