ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 237725
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Tuesday 7 July 2020 |
| Time: | 15:23 |
| Type: |  Cessna 172N Skyhawk II |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N6328D |
| MSN: | 17272718 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lake Tahoe, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Lake Tahoe Airport, CA (TVL/KTVL) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Shortly after takeoff, a witness observed the airplane flying about 200 ft above ground level and heard the engine power fluctuating. The left wingtip then struck a tree and the airplane aggressively yawed while continuing to fly low. The airplane impacted the ground about 2.5 nautical miles southwest of the departure airport.
A postaccident examination of the engine revealed low compression on cylinder Nos. 3 and 4. Further examination of the No. 4 cylinder revealed significant carbon buildup on the piston face and the top and bottom spark plugs. This buildup would likely have resulted in the No. 4 cylinder ignition system misfiring and a partial loss of engine power.
The four-cylinder engine was overhauled about 4 months before the accident, during which four overhauled cylinders and eight new spark plugs were installed. Additionally, about 2 months (and about 26 hours) before the accident, all four cylinders were overhauled again due to high oil consumption.
Carbon deposits can form when excessive heating occurs in the combustion chamber of the engine. While the high amount of carbon buildup is unusual for a cylinder with only 26 hours of operation since overhaul, the reason for the buildup was likely due to the pilot’s inadequate mixture-leaning procedures.
Probable Cause: The partial loss of engine power due to carbon buildup in the No. 4 cylinder resulting from the pilot’s inadequate mixture-leaning procedures.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020/07/07/pilot-dead-passenger-survive-plane-crash-meyers/
https://www.kolotv.com/2020/07/08/one-person-is-dead-after-a-small-plane-crash-in-south-lake-tahoe/
NTSB
https://photos-e1.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/ad86ef055fe76a66bb6273e7a4f96de14dfc8fe6 (photo)
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Jul-2020 06:49 | gerard57 | Added |
| 08-Jul-2020 07:53 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Jul-2020 09:30 | Anon. | Updated [Registration, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Jul-2020 10:03 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Source, Narrative] |
| 09-Jul-2020 07:51 | Captain Adam | Updated [Narrative] |
| 16-Jul-2020 06:32 | Anon. | Updated [Total fatalities, Narrative] |
| 25-Jun-2021 18:28 | aaronwk | Updated [Phase, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 28-Jun-2022 22:59 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative, Accident report, Photo] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation