Cessna 172P accident near Vashon, Washington, July 13, 1995
On July 13, 1995 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52139, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vashon, Washington. 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CONNECTING ROD BOLT OVERLOAD FAILURE. THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1995 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Vashon, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52139 · registry record · serial 17274421
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD SOUND, BEGAN TO SHAKE, THEN LOST POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, BOUNCED AND BECAME AIRBORNE BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN THE SECOND TIME. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP. POST CRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED HOLES IN THE CRANKCASE. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE FOUND THAT THE NUMBER THREE AND FOUR CONNECTING ROD CAP BOLTS SEPARATED. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURED BOLTS REVEALED FEATURES CHARACTERISTIC OF A PROGRESSIVE OVERSTRESS. THE METALLURGICAL SPECIALIST REPORTED THAT THE SEPARATION MOST LIKELY OCCURRED DUE TO AN INADEQUATELY TORQUED NUT OR LOSS OF PRESTRESS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,173 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 17, 1995; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 1:50 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.