19990319041439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · Erwin, NC · March 19, 1999

Date: March 19, 1999 · 23:28 local
Place: Erwin, NC
Airport: Harnett County Airport
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N46542
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL99LA056
Reported as: Cessna 152
Reported engine: Lycoming O235L2C
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 110 total80 in this make and model

N46542Registration cancelled Oct 30, 1999 · Cessna 152S/N 15283069 Airframe modelCessna 152

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.

(.4) The pilot reported that the engine could not be started during the departure preparations. The battery was changed and the engine started. According to the pilot, after engine start, the instrument lights did not illuminate. He elected to continue the night cross country flight. Approximately one hour into the flight, the pilot's flashlight failed followed by loss of vacuum pressure and a subsequent loss of the vacuum-driven instruments. Moments later, while at 3,500 feet mean sea level, the pilot stated that all electrical power was lost followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot made a forced landing in a wooded area and collided with several trees. Following the accident, the engine, alternator, vacuum pump, carburetor, and magnetos that were on the airplane at the time of the accident were tested and found to function normally through all ranges of power settings.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE STARTED DURING THE DEPARTURE PREPARATIONS. THE BATTERY WAS CHANGED AND THE ENGINE STARTED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER ENGINE START, THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE. HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT'S FLASHLIGHT FAILED FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF VACUUM PRESSURE AND A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF THE VACUUM-DRIVEN INSTRUMENTS. MOMENTS LATER, WHILE AT 3,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL, THE PILOT STATED THAT ALL ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A WOODED AREA AND COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL TREES. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE, ALTERNATOR, VACUUM PUMP, CARBURETOR, AND MAGNETOS THAT WERE ON THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE TESTED AND FOUND TO FUNCTION NORMALLY THROUGH ALL RANGES OF POWER SETTINGS.

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 ATL99LA056Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBunn Level, NCThe loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors were an electrical system malfunction for undetermined reasons and the dark night conditions.Mar 20, 1999 · Substantial damage