Cessna 172RG N6368R

Summary

On 6 September 2003 at about 20:40 local time, a Cessna 172RG registered N6368R, operated by Pierce, David A., was involved in an accident near Blanchard, Idaho, 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

6 September 2003 at 20:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Blanchard, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

48.0064, -116.9411

Aircraft

Cessna 172RG

Registration

N6368R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Pierce, David A.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spokane → Bonners Ferry

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA03LA187

Nobody was injured.

The loss of engine oil as a result of the inadequate installation of the idler gear shaft set screw and the lack of a safety wire on the hex head (oil) plug. A contributing factor was the rough and uneven terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while climbing there was a loud bang and simultaneously a spray of oil across the front windscreen. Several seconds later smoke began to develop within the cockpit and the pilot secured the engine and executed an off airport landing. The aircraft encountered rough, deeply furrowed terrain on rollout during which the landing gear collapsed. Post crash examination of the aircraft's engine revealed that the three-quarter inch hex head plug at the front of the engine, which retains the propeller governor idler gear shaft, had backed out of its threaded insert. The plug, which was found in the bottom of the engine had no safety wire attached and no safety wire was observed on the tie down point on the engine. The propeller governor idler gear shaft setscrew was loose and the gear shaft itself was missing. With the hex head plug and propeller governor idler gear shaft released, engine oil, under pressure could exit the engine. The engine had been overhauled 248.2 hours prior to the accident and then subsequently repaired for a propeller strike. It could not be determined whether any action related to the safety wiring of the hex plug or any adjustment to the set screw had been conducted at the overhaul or prop strike repair.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.