Service difficulty report · Cylinder Head · Cessna 172S

Difficulty date
November 4, 2017
Submitted
November 8, 2017
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N417ER
Make and model
Cessna 172S
Aircraft serial
172S11445
Aircraft time
3,464 hours
Engine
Lyc IO360L2A
Engine time
3,875 hours
Part
Cylinder Head
Part number
L1242770
Condition
Cracked
Location
Nr 2
Part time
1,685 hours
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R
Precautionary procedure
A

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THE CREW EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT POWER LOSS. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON AN ALTERNATE RUNWAY. INSPECTION REVEALED A CRACK IN THE NR 2 CYLINDER HEAD ORIGINATING FROM THE INTAKE VALVE SEAT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE CYLINDER TO THE OUTSIDE BETWEEN THE COOLING FINS. A COMPRESSION CHECK REVEALED A LARGE AMOUNT OF AIR EXITING THROUGH THIS CRACK MAKING AN AUDIBLE HISSING.

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