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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

August 3, 1992 · Cessna 172P · N53485

Burbank, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 3, 1992
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 minor injuries)
Location
Burbank, CA
Aircraft
Cessna 172P
Tail Number
N53485
Operator
Burbank Flying Club
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX92LA328

During the initial climb after takeoff at about 300 feet, an unusual noise was heard by the pilot and the passenger who was recording the takeoff on a video camera recorder. The noise was a metallic tapping sound which varied with engine RPM. The pilot attempted to land on the remaining runway. The airplane overran the runway threshold and collided with a security fence. A post crash examination of the airplane and a test run of the engine failed to duplicate or explain the sounds as recorded on the tape. Further examination of the tape by an FAA approved engine repair station personnel concluded that the noise was a metallic 'tappet' type of a sound. During a disassembly of the engine a sticking exhaust valve was found in number two cylinder with evidence of high temperatures and oil burning residue on the springs of that valve. Textron Lycoming addresses the potential problem in Service Bulletin Number 388A, dated April 14, 1978, which recommends compliance at 1000 hours of operation. Lycoming Service Letter L197A, dated January 19, 1988, contains recommendations to avoid valve sticking. Lycoming Service Instructions 1425A, dated January 19, 1988, contains suggested maintenance procedures to reduce the possibility of valve sticking. No record of compliance was found.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE BINDING AND OVER TEMPERATURE OF AN EXHAUST VALVE DUE TO THE LACK OF COMPLIANCE WITH FACTORY SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS AND BULLETINS REGARDING VALVE STICKING BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

Full Narrative

DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 300 FEET AN UNUSUAL NOISE WAS HEARD BY THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER WHO WAS RECORDING THE TAKEOFF ON A VIDEO CAMERA RECORDER. THE NOISE WAS A METALLIC TAPPING SOUND WHICH VARIED WITH ENGINE RPM. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AND COLLIDED WITH A SECURITY FENCE. A POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND A TEST RUN OF THE ENGINE FAILED TO DUPLICATE OR EXPLAIN THE SOUNDS AS RECORDED ON THE TAPE. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE TAPE BY AN FAA APPROVED ENGINE REPAIR STATION PERSONNEL CONCLUDED THAT THE NOISE WAS A METALLIC 'TAPPET' TYPE OF A SOUND. DURING A DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE A STICKING EXHAUST VALVE WAS FOUND IN NUMBER TWO CYLINDER WITH EVIDENCE OF HIGH TEMPERATURES AND OIL BURNING RESIDUE ON THE SPRINGS OF THAT VALVE. TEXTRON LYCOMING ADDRESSES THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM IN SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 388A, DATED APRIL 14, 1978, WHICH RECOMMENDS COMPLIANCE AT 1000 HOURS OF OPERATION. LYCOMING SERVICE LETTER L197A, DATED JANUARY 19, 1988, CONTAINS RECOMMENDATIONS TO AVOID VALVE STICKING. LYCOMING SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS 1425A, DATED JANUARY 19,1988, CONTAINS SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF VALVE STICKING. NO RECORD OF COMPLIANCE WAS FOUND.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:30 PDT
Nearest AirportBURBANK (0nm)
Runway15
Runway Length6885 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172P
Tail NumberN53485
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorBurbank Flying Club
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-D2J · Reciprocating · 160
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 minor injuries)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor2
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 38 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility5 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data