Cessna 172F N8740U

Summary

On 11 October 1995 at about 18:45 local time, a Cessna 172F registered N8740U, operated by John Watts, was involved in an accident near Danbury, Wisconsin, 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

11 October 1995 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Danbury, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

46.0003, -92.3692

Aircraft

Cessna 172F

Registration

N8740U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John Watts

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cumberland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96LA006

Nobody was injured.

the partial failure of the left magneto, the road sign, and the road embankment. A factor relating to this accident is the brush which obscured the road sign.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CRUISING AT 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN THE 'ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGHLY.' HE DECIDED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE AND 'INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM.' ON LANDING ROLL THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK A ROAD SIGN, THAT WAS OBSCURED BY BRUSH, WHICH 'SPUN THE AIRPLANE AROUND TO THE RIGHT.' THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE GEAR STRUCK A SAND EMBANKMENT ON THE ROAD'S EDGE AND NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FOUND THE LEFT MAGNETO REAR COVER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE MAGNETO'S MAIN CASE EXPOSING THE GEARS AND POINTS. THREE OF THE FOUR SCREWS WHICH HELD THE MAGNETO COVER IN PLACE WERE MISSING. THE FOURTH SCREW HAD SHEARED OFF IN THE CASE. BOTH MAGNETOS WERE TESTED FOR SPARK. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE FOUND. EXAMINATION OF FUEL IN THE TANKS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF WATER AND SEDIMENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.