A Stunning Coincidence Leads to a Fix for the ‘Colossal Mistake’

Friends and an amazing stroke of luck give the writer a solution to a self-inflicted engine problem.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 08:57 AM ET

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The museum-quality 170B that solidified the author’s decision to continue saving for a 170 of his own. [Photo: Adam Stiffler]

Key Takeaways:

The author faced a costly engine repair for his newly acquired Cessna 170 after damaging its cylinders due to a forgotten cowl plug.
An instructor's tip led the author to Dan, who possessed a spare, preserved engine with brand new cylinders, perfect for the repair.
An incredible coincidence revealed Dan was the previous owner of the exquisite Cessna 170 that had originally inspired the author's purchase, and the spare engine was intended for that very aircraft.
Dan demonstrated remarkable generosity by selling the needed cylinders at an exceptionally low price, matching the author's limited funds and significantly easing the financial burden of the repair.

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Editor’s note: This is part three of an ongoing series about the author’s ‘colossal mistake.’ You can read part one here and part two here.

My friend Jared bought his Cessna 170 about a year before I found mine. He purchased a truly exquisite example that he located in Missouri and now keeps in Spokane, Washington. With museum-quality paint and interior, the airplane was legitimately indistinguishable from the day it rolled out of the factory.