Cessna 172RG N64ML

Summary

On 13 January 2004 at about 23:15 local time, a Cessna 172RG registered N64ML was involved in an accident near Enumclaw, Washington, 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

13 January 2004 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Enumclaw, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.2564, -121.9650

Aircraft

Cessna 172RG

Registration

N64ML

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seattle → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA04LA033

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power while maneuvering due to the failure of the heads of six of the eight cam followers. Factors include the pilot's decision to keep the gear retracted during the forced landing, and the rough/uneven terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a power-on stall sequence the aircraft's engine experienced a significant partial power loss, followed by the engine oil pressure dropping to zero. Since there was no suitable landing area directly below the area where the power loss occurred, the pilot headed to the south and attempted to land on what appeared to be the only available reasonably safe terrain. Based upon his quick evaluation of the landing site, the pilot chose to leave the gear fully retracted. Although the initial touchdown was uneventful, soon thereafter the aircraft contacted the rough/uneven terrain in a manner that resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. A post-accident inspection of the engine revealed that the crankcase mating flange was cracked in two different places, and the number three cylinder push rod and push rod tube were bent in a manner consistent with compression of the pushrod from its ends. The heads of six of the eight cam followers had fractured, the crankcase surface behind all but two of the follower heads was dented and gouged, and the crankcase surface behind two of the heads had small chunks of fractured steel imbedded/crushed into the metal of the case. Removal of the oil pan revealed about a dozen pieces of metal that were clearly identifiable as sections of the cam follower heads. Further inspection of the engine and its cylinders could not determine the initiating event leading to the fracturing of the cam followers.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.