NTSB Identification: ERA12LA428
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 01, 2012 in Greene, NY
Aircraft: CESSNA R172K, registration: N758JQ
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 1, 2012, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Cessna R172K, N758JQ, registered to and operated by a private individual, was landed hard during a forced landing at Greene Airport (4N7), Greene, New York. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight from Becks Grove Airport (K16), Rome, New York, to Chenango Bridge Airport (1NK8), Binghamton, New York. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the private pilot, the sole occupant was not injured. The flight originated from K16 about 1450.

The pilot stated that part of his preflight check including checking the engine oil quantity which indicated 8 quarts (full). After takeoff, the flight climbed to 4,500 feet and proceeded towards the destination airport. About 25 minutes into the flight, after passing 4N7, the engine began to run rough followed by a loss of engine power. He turned to 4N7, and then described hearing metallic grinding sounds, and reported the engine power continued to decrease. Because he was unable to maintain altitude due to the loss of engine power, he elected to land downwind on runway 07 at 4N7, and touched down about midpoint of the runway. The nose landing gear contacted the runway surface hard.

Examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector revealed the No. 3 cylinder assembly was circumferentially fractured separating the barrel and head. Inspection of the airframe revealed structural damage to the engine firewall.

Inspection of the maintenance records by the FAA airworthiness inspector revealed no entry indicating the engine had been overhauled since installed at airplane manufacture in 1979. The engine records did reflect that in December 1986, replacement of all pistons, piston rings, exhaust valves, intake valves, valve guides, exhaust studs, rocker bushings and shafts, connecting rods, main and connecting rod bearings, crankshaft seal, and spark plugs was performed in accordance with Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SE1436CE. The airplane total time at that time was recorded to be approximately 526 hours, and the airplane total time at the time of the accident was reported to be 1,358 hours.

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