Cessna 172N accident near Hillsborough, North Carolina, July 5, 1996
On July 5, 1996 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N75814, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsborough, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the magneto impulse coupling spring. A factor was the power line at the approach end of the forced landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1996 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsborough, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N75814 · no longer on the register · serial 17267971
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, the engine quit. A force landing was attempted in an open pasture that the pilot reported was the only available site. He circled the pasture to position the airplane for the forced landing. On final approach, the pilot extended the flaps, stopping them at ten degrees to ensure that the airplane would clear power lines at the approach end of the pasture. Consequently, the airplane overran the end of the downhill sloped pasture, then collided with trees at the end with the airspeed about 55 knots, according to the pilot. During the postaccident examination of the engine, the magneto impulse coupling spring of the single-drive dual magneto was found broken, resulting in a loss of engine to magneto timing and engine stoppage.
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: private
- Flight time: 764 hours in all; 435 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,587 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 1995; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUY Burlington NC at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from RDU, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.