Cessna 177RG N1528H

Summary

On 30 September 2016 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 177RG registered N1528H was involved in an accident near Cloquet, Minnesota, United States. One person was 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

30 September 2016 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Cloquet, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Cloquet Carlton County (COQ)

Coordinates

46.7011, -92.5036

Aircraft

Cessna 177RG

Registration

N1528H

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cook → Hinckley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16LA391

Nobody was injured.

A lack of lubrication in the engine for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information, which resulted in a failure of the No. 4 connecting rod and a subsequent total loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, the airplane's engine began making an unusual ticking sound and the oil pressure was low. The oil pressure continued to drop, and the engine began to "knock" louder until it experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to glide to an airport, but the airplane had insufficient altitude and landed in a field short of the intended runway. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 4 connecting rod had failed, and displayed signatures consistent with a lack of lubrication. The other connecting rods also exhibited signs of a lack of lubrication, and the oil pickup screen contained debris. The engine had sufficient oil in the sump, and examination of the components of the oil system failed to reveal any preimpact anomalies. The engine manufacturer recommended that engines be overhauled at least every 12 years due to possible deterioration of engine components and abnormal wear on soft metal bearing surfaces during engine start procedures. The accident engine had not been overhauled for 23 years; however, the investigation was unable to determine if or to what extent the damage to the engine was a result of the connecting rod failure or may have occurred before the failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.