Incident
On 1 October 2001 at 12:40 hours, a Cessna F172G, registration D-EJUS, was involved in an emergency landing near Cala Marsal – Porto Colom in Palma de Mallorca. The aircraft had departed from Son Bonet aerodrome at 10:00 UTC for a transit flight within the island, accompanied by two other aircraft. The flight was classified as general aviation pleasure.
Aircraft and Crew
The aircraft was a Cessna F172G manufactured in 1966, powered by a single Rolls Royce O-300-D engine. The pilot, aged 46, held a private pilot license and had logged 582 hours and 20 minutes of total flight time, all on the same type. There were three people on board.
Emergency Landing
Approximately 35 minutes into the flight, at an altitude between 700 and 900 feet, the pilot observed an increase in engine temperature and a decrease in revolutions, accompanied by abnormal engine operation. In response, the pilot contacted the accompanying aircraft, which reported smoke emanating from the engine. The pilot then decided to perform an emergency landing, selecting a road clear of traffic and people. The landing was executed with a slight left deviation, causing the lift strut of the left wing to contact a stone wall. Subsequently, the right wing tip struck a concrete post, forcing the aircraft to turn right and collide with a wall on the left side of the road. The three occupants exited the aircraft unaided.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident inspection revealed significant damage to the aircraft, including a bent propeller blade indicative of a stopped or low-rpm engine at impact. The engine mount and various components were deformed or broken due to the collision. Examination of the engine system uncovered abnormalities: cylinders 2, 3, and 6 showed incorrect compression ratios. Disassembly of cylinder 3 revealed a broken piston and piston rings, with no evidence of prior continuous operation. Cylinder 2 exhibited a burned inlet valve, while cylinder 6 had intact piston rings. Additionally, the magneto timing was found to be slightly off: the right magneto was set at 25 degrees (1 degree below specification) and the left magneto at 30 degrees (2 degrees above specification). The left magneto's contact breaker points were abnormally separated.
Other Details
Two of the three occupants were uninjured; the third sustained minor injuries: a cut finger and a cut on the head. The aircraft sustained important damage, and the stone wall and concrete post were also damaged. The pilot reported that the engine problem arose after about 35–40 minutes of flight, with rising temperatures and decreasing rpm, followed by irregular operation. The accompanying aircraft confirmed smoke from the engine and advised the pilot to return to the departure aerodrome, but the pilot opted to land away from populated areas. The flight duration was approximately 1 hour; the aircraft had an endurance of 4 hours.