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

Verified

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's newly acquired Cessna 170 sustained significant engine damage (cracked cylinders) due to a forgotten cowl plug, necessitating a costly repair.
A fortuitous connection led the author to Dan, a former 170 owner who had a spare engine in a crate with six brand new, never-run cylinders.
Through an astonishing coincidence, it was revealed that Dan's spare engine and its new cylinders were originally intended for the *exact same Cessna 170* that had inspired the author's own purchase.
Dan demonstrated remarkable generosity by selling the engine at a price the struggling author could afford, effectively solving the most critical part of the repair challenge.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.