Summary
On October 28, 1993, a Cessna 177B (N18174) was involved in an incident near Pleasant Grove, CA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: THE FAILURE OF THE STARTER TO TURN THE ENGINE OVER DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION.
On October 27, 1993, at 1800 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177B, N18174, landed in a rice paddy near Pleasant Grove, California, when the pilot was unable to restart the engine following a simulated loss of engine power. The certificated flight instructor was conducting a local area dual instructional flight at the time. The airplane, operated by Sacramento Aero Service, sustained substantial damage. Neither the instructor nor the student pilot were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Sacramento Natomas Field, Sacramento, California, on the day of the mishap at 1730.
In a verbal and written statement, the pilot reported that he pulled the mixture to idle cut off to simulate an engine failure for the student.
This incident is documented in NTSB report LAX94LA026. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N18174.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
THE FAILURE OF THE STARTER TO TURN THE ENGINE OVER DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On October 27, 1993, at 1800 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177B, N18174, landed in a rice paddy near Pleasant Grove, California, when the pilot was unable to restart the engine following a simulated loss of engine power. The certificated flight instructor was conducting a local area dual instructional flight at the time. The airplane, operated by Sacramento Aero Service, sustained substantial damage. Neither the instructor nor the student pilot were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Sacramento Natomas Field, Sacramento, California, on the day of the mishap at 1730.
In a verbal and written statement, the pilot reported that he pulled the mixture to idle cut off to simulate an engine failure for the student. He said that when he tried to restart the engine, the starter would not turn the propeller. He said he chose a landing site and landed the plane in a rice paddy. The aircraft nosed over during the landing roll.
The starter was removed and taken to George's Electrical Service in Sacramento, California. The starter was put on a calibrated test stand where it was tested. It developed 50 percent of its designed cranking power and made grinding noises. Inspection of the starter revealed that the starter had 24 volt brushes instead of the required 12 volt brushes. Further inspection also revealed that the starter was not lubricated, had a dry bendix coupling, and was cracked at the rear bearing housing.
A complete review of the maintenance records for the aircraft revealed no historical information on the starter. The dates of manufacture, overhaul, and installation on the engine were not located.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX94LA026