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19981118045009A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · Orinda, CA · November 18, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 18, 1998 · 20:30 local
Place
Orinda, CA
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N48201
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX99LA034
Reported as
Cessna 152
Reported engine
Lycoming O235L2C
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
52 total46 in this make and model44 in the last 90 days
N48201Registration cancelled May 25, 2017 · Cessna 152S/N 15283300 · Built 1979Airframe modelCessna 152Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Within approximately 3 min. After descending from 4,500 ft. to 2,000 ft., the engine RPM dropped to approximately 500-800 RPM, momentarily, then the engine stopped running. Pilot attempted restarting the engine, which was unsuccessful. Pilot selected a landing site near horse barns, in hopes of a flat area away from the nearby reservoir. With flaps extended and speed slowed for landing, the aircraft impacted the top of an oak tree as the stall warning horn sounded. The tree cushioned the impact and changed the aircraft trajectory from south-west-bound ot the north-west-bound impact position, across a driveway. Investigation revealed between 30-40% water and other contaminants in fuel samples taken from the gascalator, and the carburetor bowl, which was consistent with fuel samples taken from the wing tanks. (.19) on November 18, 1998, at 2030 hours pacific standard time, a Cessna 152, N48201, collided with a tree during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Orinda, California. The airplane was destroyed. The private pilot, the sole occupant, suffered serious injuries. The flight, conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91, originated at the corning, California, airport at 1900, and was en route to the hayward airport. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he had been leading another aircraft as a flight of two. The second aircraft, a Cessna 172, was having electrical problems, and all contact between the two aircraft was lost. The pilot of the accident aircraft reported that he leveled off at 2,000 feet AGL and configured the airplane for cruise flight with the throttle set at 2,000 RPM. After "two to three minutes" the RPM decreased to between 500 and 800 RPM. The pilot didn't notice any engine vibration, but reported that it sounded as if "someone suddenly stuffed cotton in your ears." He stated that the engine never "coughed or sputtered." Approximately 2 minutes later, the engine lost power completely. He reported that he attempted to restart the engine and transmitted a "mayday." The pilot stated that the squelch on his intercom was not working, causing his microphone not to work. Another pilot overheard and transmitted his calls to oakland approach.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 3 MIN. AFTER DESCENDING FROM 4,500 FT. TO 2,000 FT., THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED TO APPROXIMATELY 500-800 RPM, MOMENTARILY, THEN THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. PILOT ATTEMPTED RESTARTING THE ENGINE, WHICH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. PILOT SELECTED A LANDING SITE NEAR HORSE BARNS, IN HOPES OF A FLAT AREA AWAY FROM THE NEARBY RESERVOIR. WITH FLAPS EXTENDED AND SPEED SLOWED FOR LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TOP OF AN OAK TREE AS THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED. THE TREE CUSHIONED THE IMPACT AND CHANGED THE AIRCRAFT TRAJECTORY FROM SOUTH-WEST-BOUND OT THE NORTH-WEST-BOUND IMPACT POSITION, ACROSS A DRIVEWAY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED BETWEEN 30-40% WATER AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS IN FUEL SAMPLES TAKEN FROM THE GASCALATOR, AND THE CARBURETOR BOWL, WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH FUEL SAMPLES TAKEN FROM THE WING TANKS. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 18, 1998, AT 2030 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 152, N48201, COLLIDED WITH A TREE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR ORINDA, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT, CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, ORIGINATED AT THE CORNING, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT AT 1900, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO THE HAYWARD AIRPORT. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN LEADING ANOTHER AIRCRAFT AS A FLIGHT OF TWO. THE SECOND AIRCRAFT, A CESSNA 172, WAS HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, AND ALL CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO AIRCRAFT WAS LOST. THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT HE LEVELED OFF AT 2,000 FEET AGL AND CONFIGURED THE AIRPLANE FOR CRUISE FLIGHT WITH THE THROTTLE SET AT 2,000 RPM. AFTER "TWO TO THREE MINUTES" THE RPM DECREASED TO BETWEEN 500 AND 800 RPM. THE PILOT DIDN'T NOTICE ANY ENGINE VIBRATION, BUT REPORTED THAT IT SOUNDED AS IF "SOMEONE SUDDENLY STUFFED COTTON IN YOUR EARS." HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEVER "COUGHED OR SPUTTERED." APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER COMPLETELY. HE REPORTED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND TRANSMITTED A "MAYDAY." THE PILOT STATED THAT THE SQUELCH ON HIS INTERCOM WAS NOT WORKING, CAUSING HIS MICROPHONE NOT TO WORK. ANOTHER PILOT OVERHEARD AND TRANSMITTED HIS CALLS TO OAKLAND APPROACH.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX99LA034Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOrinda, CAA loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel. A factor was the pilot's inadequate preflight, during which he neglected to note the contamination, and the dark night which made it difficult to select a landing spot.Nov 19, 1998 · Destroyed

Other reports on N48201 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19850201018729IDescent · Sacramento, CAStudent had IFR weather at destination and diverted but had crosswind. During next approach ran out of fuel.Feb 1, 1985Accident 19840421022879ALevel Off Touchdown · Palo Alto, CAStudent pilot made hard landing causing nose wheel to break off.Apr 21, 1984 · Substantial damage