Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 177RG N2069Q

17 November 1989 · Van Nuys, California, United States · Serious injuries

Summary

On 17 November 1989 at about 23:00 local time, a Cessna 177RG registered N2069Q, operated by William A. Ryan, was involved in an accident near Van Nuys, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 23:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Van Nuys, California, United States
Coordinates
34.1908, -118.4898
Aircraft
Cessna 177RG
Registration
N2069Q
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
William A. Ryan
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX90LA035

People

1 person was seriously injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 1 1 0

Probable cause

THE INCORRECT INSTALLATION OF THE ENGINE COWL AND BAFFLE SEALS DURING THE INSTALLATION OF THE ENGINE FOLLOWING AN OVERHAUL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

NEAR THE END OF THE FIRST FLIGHT FOLLOWING INSTALLATION OF AN OVERHAULED ENGINE, THE ENGINE SIEZED AFTER THE PILOT NOTICED A RAPID DROP IN OIL PRESSURE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE LEFT SIDE LOWER EXTERIOR FUSELAGE WAS FOUND TO BE COVERED WITH FRESH OIL, WITH THE OIL SMEAR ORIGINATING NEAR THE OIL BREATHER LINE. THE ENGINE COWL BAFFLE SEALS WERE FOUND INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. LESS THAN 1 QUART OF OIL WAS FOUND IN THE ENGINE SUMP. ON THE EXTERNAL REAR SIDES OF THE #3 & #4 CYLINDER BARRELS, AN OVAL AREA OF HEAT DISTRESS WAS NOTED. THE CRANKSHAFT & PISTON RODS EXHIBITED PROGRESSIVE HEAT DISTRESS ON ALL ROD BEARINGS AND CRANKSHAFT JOURNALS, WITH THE #1 ROD EXHIBITING THE LEAST HEAT SIGNATURES & THE #4 THE MOST SEVERE. THE #3 ROD CAP WAS FOUND LOOSE IN THE ENGINE; EXAMINATION OF THE CAP BOLTS REVEALED SEVERE NECKING SIGNATURES AT THE POINT OF TENSION FAILURE. A MICROMETER WAS USED TO MEASURE THE CYLINDER BARRELS FOR ROUNDNESS. THE #3 CYL WAS FOUND TO BE OUTSIDE THE FACTORY SPEC BY .002 INCHES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 177 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
9 Jul 1989 Cessna 177A
N3154T
Akron, New York, United States - Minor injuries -
19 May 1989 Cessna 177B
N1275C
Harrah, Oklahoma, United States
no coordinates
Advance Meat Co., Inc. No injuries -
27 May 1989 Cessna 177
N13630
Indian Trail, North Carolina, United States Ronald Stiles Serious injuries -
4 Jul 1989 Cessna 177
N2923X
Stuart, Florida, United States - Fatal 1
14 Aug 1989 Cessna 177RG
N1976Q
Janice, Mississippi, United States - Fatal 2
6 Aug 1989 Cessna 177B
N35131
Fort Gaines, Georgia, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -

All 1,744 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
15 Sep 1989 Piper PA-31-350
N70PE
Ontario, California, United States Ameriflight Fatal 1
26 Sep 1989 Piper PA-25-235
N4450Y
Warner Springs, California, United States - No injuries -
19 Sep 1989 Cessna 310K
N6958L
Ojai, California, United States - Fatal 2
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 182
N96642
Eureka, California, United States Nothern Air No injuries -
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 152
N6422M
Lancaster, California, United States West Coast Air Center Fatal 2
29 Sep 1989 Bellanca 17-30A
N8272R
Palo Alto, California, United States Klouda, Linda K. Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States