The airplane experienced a failure of the crankshaft and separation of the propeller and propeller flange shortly after takeoff at about 1258 Eastern time. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane was not damaged and the Commercial pilot was not injured. The pilot stated that he was ferrying the airplane; another pilot had performed a precautionary landing the day before after experiencing a rough-running engine. The pilot performed a preflight inspection and several engine run-ups; no discrepancies were noted. At 500 feet during the initial climb, engine rpm decreased from 2390 to 2200. The pilot then heard a loud noise, noted vibration of the engine and engine cowling, and performed an uneventful forced landing on a taxiway. Preliminary examination revealed the crankshaft fractured inside the crankcase. The separated propeller with section of propeller flange was found on a nearby runway.
May 23, 2006, St. Augustine, Fla. / Cessna 172S
The airplane experienced a failure of the crankshaft and separation of the propeller and propeller flange shortly after takeoff at about 1258 Eastern time. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane was not damaged and the Commercial pilot was not injured. The pilot stated that he was ferrying the airplane; another pilot had performed a precautionary landing the day before after experiencing a rough-running engine. The pilot performed a preflight inspection and several engine run-ups; no discrepancies were noted. At 500 feet during the initial climb, engine rpm decreased from 2390 to 2200. The pilot then heard a loud noise, noted vibration of the engine and engine cowling, and performed an un...
Key Takeaways:
- An airplane experienced a crankshaft failure and propeller separation shortly after takeoff, leading to a successful forced landing.
- The commercial pilot was uninjured, and the aircraft sustained no damage despite the engine failure.
- The incident occurred while ferrying the aircraft, which had a history of a rough-running engine the previous day, though a recent preflight found no discrepancies.
- The pilot noted a sudden RPM decrease, a loud noise, and vibration before executing the uneventful forced landing.
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