The flight originated in Fargo, North Dakota and was bound for Festus, Missouri. No flight plan was filed, and visual conditions were prevalent at the time. The pilot held commercial and flight instructor certificates with single and multi-engine land and instrument ratings. The pilot had 5000 total hours of flight experience, including 50 hours on the Cessna 177RG. One passenger was on board, and both he and the pilot were injured in the crash.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported that the plane began losing power. He said that the engine seized, and when he realized he did not have enough power or altitude to make it back to the airport, he made a forced landing on a nearby road. The plane hit a streetlight and vehicle as it landed in a residential area.
An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) showed that one of the connecting rods in the engine had separated and was protruding through the top of the engine case. Oil film covered the oil filter and part of the fuselage at the bottom. They determined that, prior to the airplane taking off, an oil change was done on the airplane and the oil filter was installed improperly.
Slack Davis Sanger represented the passenger who was injured in this accident. Ladd Sanger negotiated a settlement for a confidential amount before the case went to trial, paying for the client’s past and future medical treatments and impact on his present and future earnings.