Cessna 172N N6292D

Summary

On 23 April 1993 at about 15:15 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N6292D, operated by Silverwest Aviation, was involved in an accident near Needles, California, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 April 1993 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Needles, California, United States

Nearest airport

Needles (EED)

Coordinates

34.7798, -114.5903

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N6292D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Silverwest Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bullhead City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93LA183

Nobody was injured.

the total loss of engine power due to the failure of the magneto in the ignition system. The magneto failure resulted from the operator's lack of voluntary compliance with the manufacturers suggested overhaul cycle.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While approaching the destination airport a total loss of engine power was experienced. The pilot made a forced landing on rough terrain and the airplane nosed over about 200 yards short of the runway threshold. An examination of the engine, which had been operated for 2,184 hours since last being overhauled in 1984, revealed its single drive dual Bendix magneto had internally failed. The magneto had a total time of about 4,309 hours and was 14 years old. No log book evidence was found indicating it had ever been overhauled. Internal exam of the magneto revealed that the bearing stack around the rotating magnet shaft was devoid of lubrication and the bearings did not rotate freely. The breaker cam was bluish in color and coked with cam follower material. The cam followers had decreased in size to the point that the points did not open. The operator had performed the last two inspections, and had not complied with Bendix's suggested four year magneto overhaul schedule as published in FAA and Bendix bulletins. The operator stated that he only obtained bulletins when adopted by regulation into airworthiness directives. Bendix reported that bearing lubricants deteriorate beyond their useful life in four years.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.