Cessna 172 accident near Germantown, Kentucky, October 13, 1996
On October 13, 1996 at about 7:12 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8299U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Germantown, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper maintenance with the installation of an improper oil ring on the number four piston, which led to failure of both the ring and pistion, oil starvation, and subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 1996 · about 7:12 pm local time
- Place
- Germantown, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8299U · no longer on the register · serial 172-52199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was en route at 5500' MSL, when the pilot noted a loss of oil pressure followed by a loss of engine power. A forced landing was made in an open field, where the airplane collided with a ditch. Inspection of the airplane revealed the lower fuselage was covered with oil. Examination of the engine revealed evidence of oil starvation in the main bearings, connecting rod bearings, and journals of the crankshaft. All of the cylinders were steel-barreled, except the #4 cylinder, which was chrome plated. The #4 cylinder was heavily scored in the chrome barrel, and the #4 piston was scored completely around its skirt. The #4 piston exhibited burning on the lower crown, which eroded a hole to the piston interior below the third piston ring groove. The piston rings were stuck due to aluminum from the piston skirts extruding over them. Heat had expanded the piston skirts into contact with the cylinder walls, scoring them and transferring aluminum from the piston skirt. According to a report from the manufacturer, chrome cylinders must use plain steel rings per TCM service literature; however, the #4 cylinder was installed using rings for a steel barreled cylinder, which have chrome plating on the top compression ring. The manufacturer's report also noted that chrome ring on chrome cylinder bore will not work and could create scoring, metal transfer, and eventually severe blowby conditions. The engine had accumulated 1075 hours of flight time since the last overhaul.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 518 hours in all; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 254 as pilot in command; 17 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,329 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 4, 1996; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CVG Cincinnati OH
- Destination: K22 Prestonsburg KY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:17 pm from FGX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.