Cessna 177B N34021

Summary

On 8 January 2000 at about 01:53 local time, a Cessna 177B registered N34021 was involved in an accident near Rialto, California, 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

8 January 2000 at 01:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Rialto, California, United States

Nearest airport

Rialto (L67)

Coordinates

34.1595, -117.3904

Aircraft

Cessna 177B

Registration

N34021

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pacoima → Redlands

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

LAX00LA069

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the maintenance personnel to follow the manufacturer's procedures and directives regarding the proper torquing of the screws securing the oil pressure screen housing, which resulted in the loss of lubricating oil, and the subsequent seizure of the engine.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident flight was the first flight following an oil change. While in cruise flight about 38 minutes after takeoff, the engine began to run roughly and the oil pressure dropped to zero. The engine then completely lost power and the pilot attempted to land at the airport. He touched down short of the runway and collided with a fence. During the postaccident examination, oil was evident on the firewall, rear engine case area, and in the area of the oil pressure screen housing, streaming aft on the underside of the aircraft and on the forward edge of both landing gear struts. The screws that attach the oil pressure screen were observed to be improperly secured; there was no discernible torque required to loosen the screws. The oil pressure screen had been removed during the oil change. The improperly torqued oil screen housing bolts resulted in the loss of oil, and the number 2 cylinder connecting rod bearing failure and overheating of the connecting rod. The connecting rod released from the crankshaft journal and punctured the upper left crankcase, damaging the adjacent components.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.