Cessna 172M accident near Friend, Nebraska, July 8, 2022
On July 8, 2022, a 1975 Cessna 172M, registered N5177H, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Friend, Nebraska. It was a personal 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
A loss of engine power due to a stuck valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2022
- Place
- Friend, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1975 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N5177H · registry record · serial 17265361
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he noticed a slight hesitation in the engine, followed by backfiring and a large drop in engine speed while in cruise flight at 2,000 ft above ground level. He was able to regain partial power for a few minutes before the engine lost additional power. The pilot performed a forced landing between two corn fields, where the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage due to impact with terrain. Postaccident testing of the engine revealed a stuck exhaust valve on the No. 2 cylinder that resulted in the loss of engine power during cruise flight. No other anomalies were noted with the engine or related systems that would have precluded normal operations of the engine. Thus, the stuck exhaust valve likely resulted in the partial loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 3, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0F4 Loup City NE
- Destination: CEK Crete NE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from LNK, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on April 25, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Log | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Engine Run Video 1 of 2 | MOV file | Download |
| 5 | Engine Run Video 2 of 2 | MOV file | Download |
| 6 | Aircraft Logbooks | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.