Cessna 172K N1909V

Summary

On 14 January 2003 at about 15:50 local time, a Cessna 172K registered N1909V was involved in an accident near Gig Harbor, Washington, United States. 3 people were 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

14 January 2003 at 15:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Gig Harbor, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Tacoma Narrows (TIW)

Coordinates

47.3311, -122.5889

Aircraft

Cessna 172K

Registration

N1909V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tacoma → Seattle

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

NTSB number

SEA03FA026

Nobody was injured.

The loss of engine power in the climb due to the fracture of the number seven engine crankshaft cheek due to the propagation of a fatigue crack initiation point. Factors include a vehicle pulling onto the road that the pilot selected for his forced emergency landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the climb after takeoff, the aircraft's engine started surging and making loud noises. This was followed by a steady decrease in the power the engine would produce, and an increase in the loud noises emanating from the engine compartment. Being unable to maintain his assigned attitude, the pilot descended in instrument meteorological conditions until he broke out of the clouds about 800 to 1000 feet above the ground. Knowing that he could not make it to the airport, the pilot attempted a power-out forced landing on a nearby road, but when he was about 20 feet above the road's surface a car pulled out onto the roadway. During the landing sequence, the aircraft impacted the rear of the car. It was ultimately determined that the loss of power was due to the fracture of the number seven crankshaft cheek as the result of the propagation of a fatigue crack initiation point. Materials laboratory examination of the crankshaft did not discover any clear reason for the creation of the initiation point.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.