ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 134066
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| Date: | Tuesday 15 October 1996 |
| Time: | 10:05 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 172P |
| Owner/operator: | Sierra Academy, Inc. |
| Registration: | N6187K |
| MSN: | 17274172 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4107 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W PTGA-15AG |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Unknown |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Kingsburg, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
As a student pilot was en route on his third supervised solo cross-country flight, the engine suddenly began running rough. Oil was observed to cover most of the front windscreen. Subsequently, the engine lost power, the student made a forced landing in a clearing, and the airplane collided with a tree and a building. An FAA inspector performed an examination of the wreckage, and observed a 2-inch diameter hole in the engine's upper case in the vicinity of the number 2 cylinder. A further examination revealed that the connecting rod to the number 2 piston was disconnected from the piston due to a failure of the piston skirt in the piston pin area. The rings on all pistons appeared to have been sticking, with over temperature signatures noted on all the intake and exhaust valves. The tops of the piston were abnormally clean. The engine had a total time of 3,794.5 hours since new and 1,987.0 hours since the last major overhaul.
Probable Cause: the student pilot's use of an excessively lean mixture, which led to engine overheating, detonation, subsequent failure of the number 2 piston, and a forced landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX97LA018
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Apr-2024 18:27 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Accident report] |
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