Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Flat Rock, Virginia 23139
Friday, February 17, 2012 16:52 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, while in cruise flight, the engine began to lose power. He noticed a vibration in the throttle control and an “oily” smell. Engine power decreased to 1,500 rpm. The airplane was unable to maintain altitude, and the pilot elected to make an emergency landing in a field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with an embankment and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. An examination of the engine revealed that the No. 4 valve spring seat had broken. A review of the maintenance records revealed that the engine had accumulated 1865.34 hours since the last overhaul 6.5 years before the accident. According to Lycoming Service Instruction 1009AU, the recommended time between overhaul is 2,000 hours or 12 years, whichever occurs first. Further review of the maintenance records revealed compliance with Airworthiness Directive 80-04-03 R2, which covers the replacement of the upper exhaust valve spring seats and the exhaust hydraulic lifters. The exhaust valve seat failed 134.66 hours before the next recommended overhaul. The investigation was unable to determine the reason for the valve seat failure.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The partial loss of engine power due to the failure of the exhaust valve spring seat for reasons that could not be determined.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/17/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1652 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Flat Rock |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 23139 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 373113N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0774913W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1654 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OFP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 207 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 24 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 9000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.07 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31600 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROCC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 3 2013 3:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coln |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4737D |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA191 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17272345 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 20 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 11 |
| Airframe Hours | 1557 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GREEN HAT AVIATION LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WOODBRIDGE |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 22192-6059 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Mark Allen Witte |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | WOODBRIDGE |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 22192-6059 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | HEF |
| Departure City | Manassas |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1549 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FAY |
| Destination City | Fayetteville |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 16 2013 4:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |