Cessna 172 accident near Worthington, Minnesota, February 18, 1996
On February 18, 1996 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N758CQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Worthington, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Progressive failure of the engine, beginning with failure of the left magneto, which resulted in preignition or detonation, a burned hole in the #3 piston, subsequent oil exhaustion, and failure of the #1 and #2 connecting rods.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1996 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Worthington, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N758CQ · registry record · serial R172-2992
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After climbing to 3500 feet, the pilot noted that smoke was entering the cockpit and that the engine was beginning to run rough. He diverted back toward the airport, but noted that the oil pressure began dropping rapidly and that the RPM began to fluctuate. The pilot then decided to secured the engine and make an emergency landing on a gravel road. During the landing, the right wing hit a yield sign on the side of the road. There was no indication of oil on the dipstick. A two to three inch hole was discovered in the crankcase of the engine. Examination of the engine revealed that a hole had been burned through the number three piston; the #1 and #2 connecting rods were off the crankshaft; and the #1 and #2 crankshaft journals were partially melted. The fuel system was checked and no defects were discovered. An examination of the magnetos revealed that the race inside the left magneto was loose and rotating within the aluminum housing. Metal particles from the race and housing covered the surface around the magneto block.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,035 hours in all; 560 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 970 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 924 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 14, 1995; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OTG at 6:55 pm
- Destination: 8Y2 Buffalo MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 am from OTG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CHI96LA093.