How to steal a C-172?

Hippike

Hippike

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Hippike
OK, stealing is bad, so let’s pretend the plane is actually yours but you lost the keys and the spare keys are at home (far away).

If you have a hangar and a toolbox, and a mechanically inclined friend to help, could you actually hot-wire the engine to start?

I’m imagining taking off the cowling, somehow hot-wiring the magnetos (to eliminate the need for turning the ignition to both), putting the cowling back then hand propping the engine. Would it start? Is it doable? (ignore the fact that the door is locked…. Or maybe you have separate keys for the door…)

I’m not a mechanic (wish I was) but like to spend time around car/plane engines and I had a Honda that was wired in such a way that without turning the headlights on, the engine would not start (second most stolen car in my area at that time so I had to be safe). It made me think, could we wire the magnetos in order to bypass the key in the ignition?
 
You’d have to unground the mags (cut a wire?) and engage the starter. I think it would be easier if you just pulled the ignition switch out and futzed with the wires in the back of it.
 
Not just hotwiring. I am not sure with Cessna, but a mechanic told me with old Pipers they only had about 20 different keys, so if you had enough of them you would likely find one that would work.

Had this confirmed when I was forced to leave a plane at an airport about 3 hrs from home, but stupidly took the keys with me. The mechanic said he found a key to open the door, but did not find one for the ignition. Yeah Piper does not make sure all your locks are keyed the same.

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You crazy kids. Airplane keys work on any airplane if you jiggle them enough (not that kind of jiggle @mscard88)
 
And this is why the duplicate set of keys stays in my car


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Just to be clear, there are two(2) P leads, one on each mag, it is the only wire that does not lead to a spark plug. (if you need to figure out which one it is)

It's nice you have a friend that has a tool box, because on slicks, it is a nut (3/8") and on most Bendix it is a (3/4').

But here is the bad news, many of the older Bendix when you remove the "P" lead nut, the mag is self grounding. (them you must cut the lead)
 
Briar Rabbit said:
Easier to start a 172 without keys than most cars. Hardest part is opening up the cowling.
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You don't need to get into the cowling if you know what you're doing. And I'm not going to tell this forum what to do. There could be criminally-minded folks reading this.
 
Dan Thomas said:
You don't need to get into the cowling if you know what you're doing. And I'm not going to tell this forum what to do. There could be criminally-minded folks reading this.
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Simply remove the "L & R" leads from the back of the Ignition switch. and hope it isn't a twist to start type switch.
 
Take a look at the wiring diagram, remove the ignition key switch, re adjust wires.

Or go ghetto fabulous and drill out and cram a screw driver and yank the switch over.
 
If I told you my secrets I’d have to kill you. :)
 
Leave the key in the airplane,most ignitions are not that tight,can usually start the plane with another key.
 
drotto said:
Not just hotwiring. I am not sure with Cessna, but a mechanic told me with old Pipers they only had about 20 different keys, so if you had enough of them you would likely find one that would work.

Had this confirmed when I was forced to leave a plane at an airport about 3 hrs from home, but stupidly took the keys with me. The mechanic said he found a key to open the door, but did not find one for the ignition. Yeah Piper does not make sure all your locks are keyed the same.

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Click to expand...
Cessna had three keys.

Any airplane mechanic worth his salt has a key box that'll get into 90 percent or more of what's on the ramp.
 
James331 said:
Take a look at the wiring diagram, remove the ignition key switch, re adjust wires.

Or go ghetto fabulous and drill out and cram a screw driver and yank the switch over.
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No drill needed. I haven't seen an older Cessna yet that would not take just about any key to start it. Maybe a newer Cessna would need the screw driver trick.
 
I saw a Tv joke show where a very attractive girl in a bikini, holding a clothes hanger, would ask a guy to help her unlock her car. As the guy is working the coat hanger, another guy would run up yelling, then the bikini clad girl would run away leaving the poor sucker.

It was funny to see the poor sucker try to explain why he was trying to unlock the car....:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
MauleSkinner said:
Cessna had three keys.

Any airplane mechanic worth his salt has a key box that'll get into 90 percent or more of what's on the ramp.
Click to expand...

Flew to my mechanic’s airport for the annual one time. Forgot that I still had my keys in my pocket when I went to lunch. Came back from lunch to see my airplane on the ramp with the mechanic inside doing an engine run. He said later, that yep, only about 20 different keys for the Viking, so it was just a matter of trying each one he had in his stash.

Heck, a lot of planes don’t even use a key to start. You get into a Citabria or Decathlon, and you just have to push a button to start the engine.


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You can get into most old Cessnas by just getting semi-violent with a wingtip.

Off to go call the 800 number and report myself as a possible terrorist now. Be right back.

Anyone want me to add your name to the list when I call? Happy to help out, ya know. :)
 
I once called the avionics guy to look at my Mooney, and said I'd be by that afternoon to drop off the key. He told me not to bother, that the key to his toolbox worked just fine.
 
Thanks for all the funny and enlightening responses :D

My first flight as a newly ticketed pilot is this Sunday. Swear I'm going to try out different keys see if they work! :D
 
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Zeldman said:
No drill needed. I haven't seen an older Cessna yet that would not take just about any key to start it. Maybe a newer Cessna would need the screw driver trick.
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Nope. I've opened the door and started the engine on a post-restart c172 with the wrong key.
 
In a related topic. How many in theory different keys do you have for your plane? I have 3.

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If it is an O-300 powered 172, remove the p-leads, turn on master and pull the starter handle. The dash mounted ignition switch in my old CJ-7 is more complicated than most aircraft switches. Glad I never have to worry about keys for my Cub...

I never take the keys out of my RV if it is going to be in my hangar which is both locked and alarmed (had some break-ins to steal gas/tools). Only time I take my keys out if if I'm leaving the airplane on the ramp at another airport and will be out of sight of it.
 
If I was going to steal an airplane and face the potential consequences, I’d steal something other than a 172.
 
iflyvfr said:
Haters gonna hate. :D
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LOL. Not a hater. I primarily fly 172s as my club has two. I think they are good airplanes. But if I was going to risk jail time, I’d make it worth it by stealing something really cool that I couldn’t afford to fly normally.
 
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