20020803028839A

(.19) On August 3, 2002, approximately 1900 central daylight time, a Cessna 150L, single-engine airplane, N10935, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Manvel, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under code of federal regulations part 91. The private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, and flight plan was not field. The flight departed wharton, Texas, approximately 1830, with a planned destination to a private airstrip near pearland, Texas. The FAA inspectors, who responded to the accident site, found the airplane resting upright on the darrington prison property. Both wing spars were bent and the firewall was buckled. There was fuel in both fuel tanks, and the fuel was blue in color with no visual evidence of debris or contamination. The fuel selector was found in the "on" position. When the crankshaft was rotated, there was engine continuity to the accessory case, thumb compression on each cylinder, and operation of the magneto impulse coupling. The spark plugs exhibited moderate wear. Continuity was confirmed for the throttle and mixture cables from the cockpit to the carburetor. The carburetor bowl had impact damage. The carburetor accelerator pump operated. No debris was found on the fuel screens for the gascolator or the carburetor. (-23) pilot said he had been in flight for only about 15 minutes on the fourth flight leg since refueling and was in cruise flight at approximately 1,500 feet when the engine suddenly reduced from 2,300 RPM to approximately 600 to 700 RPM. Pilot said he went full rich on the mixture control and applied carburetor heat with no effect. Pilot said the RPM seemed to improve slightly with accelerator pump action of the throttle, but he could not get the engine RPM above about 800 RPM. Evidence at the scene showed the CE-150 touched down on a course of approximately 60 degrees on a hard, rough field with 12 inch tall grass with a 96 foot ground roll which ended after the nose gear fractured at the top of the fork and the aircraft impacted on the nose and left wing tip. Post accident examination of the aircraft on the next morning showed both fuel tanks were approximately half full with fuel continuity all the way to the carburetor. No evidence of water or other fuel contamination and the fuel tank vent and vented fuel caps appeared to be clear and working properly. There was a post crash aircraft battery fire which self extinguished. Substantial damage to the aircraft and the pilot sustained a superficial injury to one finger.