Reeves, LA, USA
N3725V
Cessna 140
The pilot reported that he landed to refuel and take a break, during which time he also added engine oil. About 15 minutes after departing, he noticed that the engine oil pressure reading had dropped to about 0 pounds per square inch (psi) from 30 psi about 1 minute earlier. Due to the wooded terrain over which the airplane was flying, the pilot elected to make a precautionary landing to a nearby clearing. During the landing, the right wing strut impacted a fence post and the airplane bounced and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage. While examining the airplane after the accident, the pilot found that the oil filler cap/dipstick was loose. Based on the information provided by the pilot, the accident was the result of his failure to ensure that the oil filler cap was properly secured, which resulted in loss of the oil supply and necessitated the precautionary off-airport landing.
On July 4, 2019, about 1145 central daylight time, a Cessna 140 airplane, N3725V, was substantially damaged during a nose-over during a precautionary landing near Reeves, Louisiana. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The flight originated from the De Quincy Industrial Airpark (5R8), De Quincy, Louisiana, about 1120 with St Landry Parish Airport-Ahart Field (OPL), Opelousas, Louisiana, as the planned destination. The pilot reported that he landed at 5R8 to get fuel and to take a break. He stated that he also filled the engine oil at this time. About 15 minutes after departing 5R8, he noticed that the engine oil pressure reading had dropped to about 0 pounds per square inch (psi) from 30 psi about a minute earlier. Using his electronic flight charts, the pilot determined that the nearest airport was 7 minutes away. Due to the wooded area over which the airplane was flying, the pilot elected to make a precautionary landing to a clearing nearby. During the precautionary landing the airplane's right wing strut struck a fence post, the airplane bounced a few times, and nosed over. The airplane had substantial damage to the right wing strut, the vertical tail surfaces, and the engine mount. After examining the airplane after the accident the pilot found the oil dipstick loose from its proper location.
The pilot's failure to secure the oil filler cap, which resulted in oil starvation and a precautionary off-airport landing, during which the airplane was substantially damaged.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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