<< >> NASA ASRS Report 508931, April 2001

C172 pilot made a forced off airport landing after all engine oil was lost because of a faulty engine installation.

Attributes
ACN	508931
Time
Date	200104
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : drk.vortac
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 680 flight time type : 467
ASRS Report	508931
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On maintenance test flight for a flight school, I lost all oil. Approximately 30 mins into flight, oil pug on crank shaft was forgotten when installing new engine. Had to make an emergency landing 2 mi north of cordes lakes, az. No aircraft damage or injury. Engine had dust cover on constant speed propeller connection. Was not taken off before installing fixed-pitch propeller. Subsequently, the dust cover melted when engine warmed up causing oil to spew onto propeller, then everywhere on aircraft, including windscreen. Lost all oil in approximately 3 mins. Could not see out of front windscreen. Landed before engine seized in the biggest field I could find. Had to sideslip throughout approach to see, then landed in the blind, initially, tried to land on a dirt road, but there was a car on it that was unavoidable. Aircraft was fixed on the spot and flown back the next morning.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT MADE A FORCED OFF ARPT LNDG AFTER ALL ENG OIL WAS LOST BECAUSE OF A FAULTY ENG INSTALLATION.

Narrative: ON MAINT TEST FLT FOR A FLT SCHOOL, I LOST ALL OIL. APPROX 30 MINS INTO FLT, OIL PUG ON CRANK SHAFT WAS FORGOTTEN WHEN INSTALLING NEW ENG. HAD TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG 2 MI N OF CORDES LAKES, AZ. NO ACFT DAMAGE OR INJURY. ENG HAD DUST COVER ON CONSTANT SPD PROP CONNECTION. WAS NOT TAKEN OFF BEFORE INSTALLING FIXED-PITCH PROP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE DUST COVER MELTED WHEN ENG WARMED UP CAUSING OIL TO SPEW ONTO PROP, THEN EVERYWHERE ON ACFT, INCLUDING WINDSCREEN. LOST ALL OIL IN APPROX 3 MINS. COULD NOT SEE OUT OF FRONT WINDSCREEN. LANDED BEFORE ENG SEIZED IN THE BIGGEST FIELD I COULD FIND. HAD TO SIDESLIP THROUGHOUT APCH TO SEE, THEN LANDED IN THE BLIND, INITIALLY, TRIED TO LAND ON A DIRT ROAD, BUT THERE WAS A CAR ON IT THAT WAS UNAVOIDABLE. ACFT WAS FIXED ON THE SPOT AND FLOWN BACK THE NEXT MORNING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.