Service difficulty report · Cylinder · Cessna 172S

Difficulty date
March 13, 2019
Submitted
April 8, 2019
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N1206U
Make and model
Cessna 172S
Aircraft serial
172S10417
Aircraft time
7,606 hours
Engine
Lyc IO360L2A
Engine time
7,203 hours, 846 cycles
Propeller
Mcauly 1A170E
Part
Cylinder
Part number
SL36006WA20P
Part serial
L3222451E
Condition
Separated
Location
Engine
Part time
7,606 hours
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R, Y
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

WHILE PERFORMING A LOCAL INSTRUCTION FLIGHT FOR AN IFR RATING. AFTER PERFORMING AN APPROACH AND A TOUCH AND GO ON RUNWAY 10 AT POMPANO BEACH AIRPARK (KPMP), THE AIRCRAFT INITIATED A CLIMB AT VX 62 KNOTS AND HEADED NORTH EAST BOUND TO BE HANDED OFF TO APPROACH. JUST PRIOR TO THE HAND OFF THE ENGINE HAD A 300 RPM LOSS AND A STRONG SMELL OF BURNT OIL WAS FELT IN THE COCKPIT. AT THIS POINT DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE AND LOW ENERGY STATE OF THE AIRCRAFT THE INSTRUCTOR PITCHED DOWN, VERIFIED FULL POWER AND TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT. HE CALLED THE TOWER TO ADVISE HE HAD A POWER LOSS AND WOULD LIKE TO RETURN, AT THIS POINT HE WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON ANY RUNWAY. SECONDS LATER A TOTAL POWER LOSS WAS EXPERIENCED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HIGH ENOUGH TO MAKE RUNWAY 15 AND PERFORMED A FORWARD SLIP AND LANDED SAFELY ON THE RUNWAY. THEY VACATED THE RUNWAY AT THE END ON A TAXI WAY WITH WHATEVER MOMENTUM THE AIRCRAFT HAD LEFT. THE ENGINE THEN WAS SECURED BY THE INSTRUCTOR. AIRCRAFT WAS GROUNDED. THE AP WENT LATER ON TO FIND THAT CYLINDER NUMBER 3 HAD CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE AND SEPARATED COMPLETELY. THE FAA WAS ADVISED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND REPAIR STATION WHO PERFORMED THE OVERHAUL LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. THE ENGINE WAS DISMOUNTED WITH FAA APPROVAL AND SENT TO REPAIR STATION TO INSPECT AND PERFORM A MAJOR OVERHAUL. THE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY IS BEING STUDIED BY THE MANUFACTURER, WHO MANUFACTURES THE CYLINDERS.

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