# NTSB SEA07LA052: Cessna 172D, N2599U, Beaver Marsh, OR, January 23, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 23, 2007, 12:55 local (20:55 UTC) - Place: Beaver Marsh, OR - Coordinates: 43.128887, -121.817779 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1289&lon=-121.8178&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 29, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 65181 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07LA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65181/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07LA052 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. 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, cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to the pilot, about 30 to 35 minutes into the flight, while in level cruise flight at 9,500 feet msl, the engine began to lose power. The pilot attempted to resolve the problem by adding and removing carburetor heat, adjusting the fuel mixture, switching tanks and selecting each magneto separately. However, the power loss continued with the RPM dropping to 1,000 by the end of the flight. The pilot set up for a forced landing in terrain he described as "level and forested with coniferous trees." He landed in a clearing in the trees, and during the landing roll, the nose wheel separated, and the airplane nosed down. Post accident examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal the reason for the loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On January 23, 2007, about 1255 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172D, N2599U, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in rough terrain following a loss of engine power in cruise flight near Beaver Marsh, Oregon. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal local flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Medford, Oregon, at 1214. According to information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the flight was receiving flight following services from air traffic control, and when the engine lost power, the pilot asked for and received radar vectors to the nearest airport, which was Beaver Marsh State Airport. The pilot was unable to reach the airport and performed a forced landing to a recently logged field approximately 1 mile south of the airport. According to the pilot, about 30 to 35 minutes into the flight, while in level cruise flight at 9,500 feet mean sea level (msl), he "noticed (and heard) a power loss of about 300-400 RPM." The pilot attempted to resolve the problem by adding and removing carburetor heat, adjusting the fuel mixture, switching tanks and selecting each magneto separately. However, the power "slowly degraded," dropping to 1,000 RPM by the end of the flight. The pilot described the terrain as "level and forested with coniferous trees." He landed in a clearing in the trees, and during the landing roll, the nose wheel separated, and the airplane nosed down. According to an FAA inspector, the airframe and engine were examined by recovery personnel several days after the accident when they arrived at the accident site to retrieve the airplane. The recovery personnel reported to the FAA inspector that the lower cowling, air box, and carburetor sustained impact damage. Continuity of the carburetor heat, throttle and mixture controls was verified. The spark plug electrodes were noted to be gray to brown in color. When the engine was rotated by hand, thumb compression was obtained on all 6 cylinders, and both magnetos sparked at all terminals. About 12 gallons of fuel were drained from each tank, and there was no evidence of fuel contamination noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2599U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2599U-2017-02-28), registration cancelled 2017-02-28, S/N 17250199, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172D - Registry model: [Cessna 172D](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172d) (registry code 2072410) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17250199 - Airframe hours: 6555 - Engines: Continental O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 1, 2006 - Departed: MFR, Medford, OR - Destination: 2S2, Beaver Marsh, OR - Airport: 2S2, Beaver Marsh State ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 1, 2006; seat: right; flight hours: 10,516 total, 1,391 in this make and model, 10,177 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 65 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 6 statute miles ## 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 20070123001259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070123001259A), Jan 23, 2007: Cessna 172D, Beaver Marsh, OR, Substantial damage. (-23) Lost power for unknown reason. Notified zse of problem while under flight following. Attempted carb-heat application, changed throttle setting and… 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.