Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 172P N531PC

3 July 1999 · Auburn, Washington, United States · Serious injuries

Summary

On 3 July 1999 at about 23:50 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N531PC was involved in an accident near Auburn, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. 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 23:50
Classification
Accident
Location
Auburn, Washington, United States
Coordinates
47.3108, -122.2209
Aircraft
Cessna 172P
Registration
N531PC
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
SEA99LA101

People

1 person was seriously injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 1 0 0

Probable cause

Total mechanical failure of the hydraulic tappet. A factor was an overdue major overhaul per manufacturer's recommendations.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff from a touch-and-go landing, the engine began to lose power and eventually quit. A forced landing was made to a field. During the landing roll, the airplane was substantially damaged. An engine inspection found that the number one intake valve was stuck open. Further inspection found that the number one exhaust cam follower head broke in three pieces. Debris from the exhaust cam follower was found jammed between the cam and the cam follower to the number one intake plunger assembly of that cam follower. A section of the engine casing also broke away from around the number one intake cam follower. Maintenance records indicate that the engine total time was beyond manufacturer's recommendation for time between overhaul.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 172 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
18 Dec 1999 Cessna 172A
N34261
Shoshone, California, United States Charles R. Christman No injuries -
8 May 1999 Cessna 172M
N101PD
Lancaster, Texas, United States Marvin E. Scott Minor injuries -
3 Aug 1999 Cessna 172P
N6497K
Grants, New Mexico, United States Robertson Aviation Fatal 1
12 Jan 1999 Cessna 172
N6700A
Centre, Alabama, United States - No injuries -
12 Sep 1999 Cessna 172N
N534CA
San Jose, California, United States Concord Flight Intl, Inc No injuries -
26 Jan 1999 Cessna 172E
N5606T
Guymon, Oklahoma, United States Denny O'hara No injuries -

All 12,209 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
16 Jan 1999 Cessna 175
N9326B
Moses Lake, Washington, United States John H. Bross Serious injuries -
4 Dec 1999 Cessna 140
N1936V
Port Townsend, Washington, United States - Minor injuries -
14 Jul 1999 Cessna 185
N532PC
Renton, Washington, United States - No injuries -
10 Sep 1999 Cessna 170B
N3476D
Auburn, Washington, United States - No injuries -
26 Mar 1999 Cessna T210L
N93377
Port Angeles, Washington, United States Wings Aloft Minor injuries -
11 Sep 1999 Stinson V77
N69386
Tacoma, Washington, United States Kimble, Wallis, R. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States