Cessna 172P accident near Tamuning, September 25, 2017
On September 25, 2017 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 172P, registered N5448K, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Tamuning (Guam International Airport). It was an other work-use 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in oil exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2017 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tamuning · Guam International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P P, built 1980 · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5448K · no longer on the register · serial 17274115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that, during the local sightseeing flight, he noticed fire sparks and smoke starting to fill the cabin. Shortly after, the engine lost all power, and the airplane started to shake violently. The pilot decided to return to the airport, and while en route, he attempted to restart the engine without success. When he realized there was insufficient altitude to land on the runway, he initiated a forced landing to a nearby field. The airplane impacted terrain short of the airport perimeter fence and sustained substantial damage. An engine examination revealed that the engine oil filler cap was not secured, and evidence of oil was found around the No. 4 cylinder and intake pipes. The pilot reported that he checked the oil level before the first flight of the day and then flew 10 more flights that day but did not check the oil level before those flights. The Pilot's Operating Handbook indicated that the oil quantity is to be confirmed and the oil filler cap is to be secured before each flight. It is likely that the pilot did not properly secure the oil filler cap during the preflight inspection before the first flight of the day and did not verify that it was secured before any of the following 10 flights, which resulted in a gradual leak of engine oil and subsequent engine seizure. Further, his failure to check the oil before the following 10 flights prevented him from identifying that the oil had leaked out and was at an insufficient level.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Eng oil sys (airframe furnish) › Quantity › Not inspected
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,669 hours in all; 1,469 in this make and model; 305 in the last 90 days; 101 in the last 30 days; 1,492 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 22, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,874.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 27, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 1,723 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GUM Tamuning at 4:55 pm
- Destination: GUM Tamuning
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06R, 10,014 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 am from PGUM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 24, 2020. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Post-accident Exam | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Preflight - Oil Check (POH Excerpt) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photos from FAA | PDF, 8 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.