Cessna 172R accident near Orlando, Florida, September 17, 2001
On September 17, 2001 at about 8:38 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N158RA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the engine vacuum pump by maintenance personnel which resulted in oil exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was the none-suitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2001 · about 8:38 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N158RA · registry record · serial 172-80805
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight the engine lost oil pressure and the pilot continued to fly in an attempt to get back to his departure point, however the engine seized before the pilot could reach the departure point. The pilot made a forced landing into unsuitable terrain substantially damaging the airplane, however, the pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. Examination of the engine found the two bottom attachment screws for the upper (left) vacuum pump loose. Approximately one quart of oil was found in the engine and oil filter. The underside of the airplane was coated with oil from the firewall to the tail mooring point. No anomalies were found with the oil pump or oil lines. A review of the airfrane maintenance logbooks revealed that the left vacuum pump and been removed and replaced on the same day of the accident prior to the accident flight. An oil leak test was performed on another 172R. The two lower nuts of the upper vacuum pump were loosened and the engine was run near full static RPM for five minutes. Oil began leaking from the vacuum pump as soon as the engine was started. After five minutes, the back of the engine, the lower cowling, engine accessories and the ground were partially covered with oil. According to the Cessna pilot operating handbook under emergency procedures, the pilot's should have landed at the nearest airport to inspect for the source of the loss of oil pressure.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,220 hours in all; 635 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command; 857 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 25, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 162 hours in all; 162 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 106 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 24, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,445 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 30, 2001; 8.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 7:15 pm
- Destination: OCF Ocala FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from ORL, 75 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL01LA110.