Cessna 172N N5632E

Summary

On 11 July 1998 at about 17:47 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N5632E was involved in an accident near Lincoln, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 1998 at 17:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Lincoln, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.3109, -96.9703

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N5632E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lampasas → Manvel

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98FA307

3 people were seriously injured.

The #3 cylinder exhaust valve rocker arm fulcrum retaining stud backing out of its stud-tapped hole due to the improper tapping of the stud hole by unknown maintenance personnel. Contributing factors were the transmission wire, sign and gasoline pump.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering at a low altitude with black smoke coming from the engine. During landing toward the southwest on State Highway 21, at the intersection of Farm Road 1624, the airplane went under the power lines which span State Highway 21 striking the lower wire, and continued under the flashing traffic signal lights which also span State Highway 21. The airplane's right wing tip impacted a stop sign. The airplane touched down and bounced, veered to the right, and then impacted a convenience store's gasoline pumps. The airplane exploded into flames and was consumed by the post crash fire. Examination of the engine revealed that the #3 cylinder exhaust valve rocker arm fulcrum was displaced, and the rocker arm retaining stud could be turned by hand. The tapped hole in the cylinder head for the exhaust rocker arm retaining stud did not conform to blueprint specifications. There was also evidence which indicated a probable recent maintenance activity on the #3 cylinder. The aircraft's operator could not locate the airplane's airframe and engine logbooks.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.