Cessna R182 N3138C

Summary

On 12 June 2023 at about 16:29 local time, a Cessna R182 registered N3138C, operated by Turbo-Sphere Inc, was involved in an accident near McCall, Idaho, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 June 2023 at 16:29

Classification

Accident

Location

McCall, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Mc Call Muni (MYL)

Coordinates

44.9030, -116.1020

Aircraft

Cessna R182

Registration

N3138C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1978

Engines

1

Operator

Turbo-Sphere Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Indian Creek

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23FA225

1 person died.

Maintenance personnel's failure to properly torque and inspect the magneto hardware, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The passenger recalled that on the morning of the accident, the pilot had performed a preflight inspection and did not point out any mechanical issues with the airplane. The start-up and run-up were normal. As the airplane rotated for takeoff, the pilot reported that they had a power problem. The passenger stated that the pilot wanted to return to the airport, but the airplane had not gained enough altitude to clear the obstacles near the departure end of the runway. Witnesses near the accident site reported that the departure roll appeared to be unusually long and the engine did not seem to be developing full power. From their vantage point they saw the airplane's nose pitch up and begin to climb, but it did not gain enough altitude to clear the trees near the departure end of the runway where the airplane impacted the top of a pine tree. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the single-drive dual magneto remained attached to the engine accessory case, but not secured to the mounting pad. Both the upper and lower retaining hardware were loose, which allowed the magneto to be rotated with minimal resistance. The engine manufacturer issued a service instruction letter that cautioned that the magneto and/or its attaching hardware can become loose or unfastened following maintenance work. A review of the airplane’s maintenance records revealed that the magneto had been replaced about 15 hours before the accident flight. It is likely that the magneto’s hardware was not properly installed, torqued, or inspected, resulting in loose hardware and a subsequent loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.