Cessna 172 N863AU

Summary

On 24 March 2024 at about 18:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N863AU, operated by Auburn University, was involved in an accident near Opelika, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one 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

24 March 2024 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Opelika, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Auburn University Rgnl (AUO)

Coordinates

32.6146, -85.4214

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N863AU

Category

Airplane

Year built

2020

Engines

1

Operator

Auburn University

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA152

1 person had minor injuries.

A partial loss of engine power due to a combination of fuel/oil contamination in the fuel injector assembly.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

**This report was modified on April 29, 2025. Please see the public docket for this investigation to view the original report.** The pilot reported that, after starting the engine, it “sounded slightly rough” and then it ran smoothly “after a few seconds.” She continued with her engine run up and magneto check, neither of which indicated any anomalies. The pilot stated that, during the takeoff roll, the engine indications were “green,” but she was not sure of the static rpm achieved, and the airspeed was increasing “slightly slower than normal.” After reaching a rotation speed of 55 kts, the pilot rotated, but noticed during the initial climb that the engine was not producing full power, and the airspeed was low. She further characterized the engine performance as constant but sluggish. The pilot lowered the nose to prevent an aerodynamic stall and attempted a forced landing, during which the airplane impacted trees and came to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the engine mounts. The examination of the fuel injector assembly found a combination of fuel and oil had contaminated between the air diaphragm and the regulator cover. A service bulletin from the fuel injector manufacturer stated that with this type of contamination, an engine could exhibit “gradually deteriorating idle, difficulty starting and/or cold engine acceleration performance.” With the exception of magneto timing that was 3 degrees advance of the engine’s specification, no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure was observed with the engine or its subsystems. Based on the available information, it is likely that the contamination of the fuel injector assembly resulted in the lack of engine performance described by the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.