Cessna 172RG N6520R

Summary

On 2 August 2008 at about 00:15 local time, a Cessna 172RG registered N6520R, operated by 6520R LLC, was involved in an accident near Tomahawk, Wisconsin, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 August 2008 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Tomahawk, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Tomahawk Regional Airport (TKV)

Coordinates

45.4694, -89.4672

Aircraft

Cessna 172RG

Registration

N6520R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

6520R LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tomahawk → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI08LA230

2 people had minor injuries.

A total loss of engine power due to a loss of all of the engine's oil as a result of the safety wire on the governor idler gear shaft's oil plug breaking, leading to the oil plug coming unscrewed. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a suitable area for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he noticed smoke in the cabin and turned back to the departure airport. Oil began to accumulate on the windshield, which obscured his forward visibility. He made a five-mile straight-in approach using the airplane's global positioning system. He said that he attempted to maintain 2,500 feet above mean sea level and began to lose engine power about three miles from the airport. The engine "sputtered then froze" about two miles from the airport. The pilot then made a forced landing on a field that the passenger saw out of his window. The pilot said that the airplane came to rest at the end of that field, where it impacted trees at about 30 knots. Subsequent to the accident the propeller and starter ring gear were removed. The oil plug on the nose of the engine case that covers the governor idler gear shaft was not in place and it was found in the cowling. A safety wire that had secured the oil plug was observed attached to engine case with a separation at its plug end.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.