Cessna 172N N75814

Summary

On 5 July 1996 at about 15:30 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N75814, operated by James C. Edwards, was involved in an accident near Hillsborough, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 July 1996 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Hillsborough, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

36.0692, -79.1005

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N75814

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James C. Edwards

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burlington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL96LA100

2 people had minor injuries.

The failure of the magneto impulse coupling spring. A factor was the power line at the approach end of the forced landing site.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During cruise flight, the engine quit. A force landing was attempted in an open pasture that the pilot reported was the only available site. He circled the pasture to position the airplane for the forced landing. On final approach, the pilot extended the flaps, stopping them at ten degrees to ensure that the airplane would clear power lines at the approach end of the pasture. Consequently, the airplane overran the end of the downhill sloped pasture, then collided with trees at the end with the airspeed about 55 knots, according to the pilot. During the postaccident examination of the engine, the magneto impulse coupling spring of the single-drive dual magneto was found broken, resulting in a loss of engine to magneto timing and engine stoppage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.