# Accident 19990319041439A: Cessna 152, Erwin, NC, March 19, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 19, 1999, 23:28 local time
- Place: Erwin, NC
- Airport: Harnett County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.3101° N, 78.8293° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3101&lon=-78.8293&mi=10
- Aircraft: N46542, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N46542-1999-10-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 152 (registry code 2071835, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Reported engine: LYC O235L2C
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 110 total, 80 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA056) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990319041439A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL99LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA056), Mar 20, 1999: Cessna 152 (N46542), Bunn Level, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors were an electrical system malfunction for undetermined reasons and the dark night conditions.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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