Cessna 172L N3875Q

Summary

On 10 July 2000 at about 14:30 local time, a Cessna 172L registered N3875Q was involved in an accident near Beaufort, North Carolina, United States. 2 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

10 July 2000 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Beaufort, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Michael J. Smith Field (MRH)

Coordinates

34.7205, -76.6497

Aircraft

Cessna 172L

Registration

N3875Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA00LA215

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power due to failure of the No. 4 cylinder connecting rod during the first flight following engine overhaul for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was unsuitable terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight was a maintenance test flight following engine overhaul due to a propeller strike on March 10, 2000. No discrepancies were noted by the pilot during the engine run-up or after applying full power to takeoff. While climbing about 100 feet above ground level (agl), the engine experienced a loss of power then quit. The pilot landed the airplane with only 180 feet remaining on the departure runway and applied heavy brakes. The airplane departed the end of the runway, rolled onto wet grass, and unable to stop the airplane, collided with a chain link fence. The engine was disassembled with FAA approval by the facility that overhauled it without government oversight, before NTSB notification. The No. 4 cylinder connecting rod bolts were fractured, and the connecting rod cap was straight. Due to the lack of government oversight during the examination of the failed engine, no components of the engine were examined or retained. An entry in the maintenance records dated July 5, 2000, indicates that the engine was overhauled '...per Lycoming Overhaul Manual (60294-7).' The entry also indicates that the engine was test run, and 'All pressures and temps [sic] within manufacturer specifications....'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.