Cessna 172 N758CQ

Summary

On 18 February 1996 at about 19:10 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N758CQ was involved in an accident near Worthington, Minnesota, 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

18 February 1996 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Worthington, Minnesota, United States

Coordinates

43.6199, -95.5907

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N758CQ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Buffalo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96LA093

Nobody was injured.

Progressive failure of the engine, beginning with failure of the left magneto, which resulted in preignition or detonation, a burned hole in the #3 piston, subsequent oil exhaustion, and failure of the #1 and #2 connecting rods.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After climbing to 3500 feet, the pilot noted that smoke was entering the cockpit and that the engine was beginning to run rough. He diverted back toward the airport, but noted that the oil pressure began dropping rapidly and that the RPM began to fluctuate. The pilot then decided to secured the engine and make an emergency landing on a gravel road. During the landing, the right wing hit a yield sign on the side of the road. There was no indication of oil on the dipstick. A two to three inch hole was discovered in the crankcase of the engine. Examination of the engine revealed that a hole had been burned through the number three piston; the #1 and #2 connecting rods were off the crankshaft; and the #1 and #2 crankshaft journals were partially melted. The fuel system was checked and no defects were discovered. An examination of the magnetos revealed that the race inside the left magneto was loose and rotating within the aluminum housing. Metal particles from the race and housing covered the surface around the magneto block.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.