Cessna 172 Safety Record

A loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because the engine was not properly preserved to prevent corrosion after the wreckage was recovered from the lake.

The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection resulting in his failure to remove the pin he used to lock the flight controls in place of the approved control lock.

The student pilot failed to maintain directional control during the touch-and-go landing and during the subsequent aborted takeoff during crosswind conditions.

The airplane’s loss of lift shortly after picking up a banner for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action that resulted in a runway excursion.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during takeoff from a soft field and to abort the landing when the airplane reached the runway’s midpoint at a low airspeed.

***This report was modified on August 18, 2015. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.*** The operator's improper installation of a supplemental electrical power supply, which caused a short circuit due to inadequate vibration and abrasion protection, which resulted in chafing of the wires, which contacted one another, short-circuited, and caused an onboard fire. Contributing to the accident were the installation of the supplemental electrical power supply system without the supervision of an FAA-certified mechanic, the lack of an onboard means for fire suppression, and the pilot's inability to see the low-conspicuity power lines across the landing approach path until it was too late to take evasive action.

The pilot's failure to retract the wing flaps before attempting to take off, due to his lack of familiarity with the airplane make and model, which prevented the airplane from maintaining adequate altitude for takeoff.

The pilot's improper turn down an airport access road while attempting to taxi to a runway. Contributing to the accident was the airport management's failure to install proper signage indicating that an airport access road was prohibited to aircraft.

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because neither postaccident visual examinations nor test runs of the engine revealed any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.