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20080201010409A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · Palo Alto, CA · February 1, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 1, 2008 · 08:46 local
Place
Palo Alto, CA
Airport
Palo Alto Airport Of Santa Clara
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N49811
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX08LA055
Reported as
Cessna 152
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,000 total500 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days
N49811Registration cancelled Feb 28, 2011 · Cessna 152S/N 15281332 · Built 1978Airframe 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) N49811, a Cessna 152, was brought to its maintenance base (kpao) due to a squawk that complained the engine was running rich and not developing full power. The a&p/ia mechanic made the following engine logbook entry on 2/01/08: "removed carburetor to clear obstruction causing engine to run rich. Reinstalled carb iaw Cessna 152 mm." Shortly after takeoff on the ferry flight back to its operations base, N49811 experienced a loss of power causing the pilot to return to kpao. The engine lost power on short final. The airplane landed hard, causing substantial damage to the structure. Inspection of the aircraft after the accident revealed the following deficiencies: 1. Carburetor heat air valve seals were missing fore and aft preventing the valve to seal. 2. The carburetor fuel drain plug was not safety wired. 3. Water was found in the carburetor bowl assembly. 4. The number 1 cylinder had zero compression. This case has been referred to the airworthiness unit for investigation of these maintenance deficiencies.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N49811, A CESSNA 152, WAS BROUGHT TO ITS MAINTENANCE BASE (KPAO) DUE TO A SQUAWK THAT COMPLAINED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING RICH AND NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER. THE A&P/IA MECHANIC MADE THE FOLLOWING ENGINE LOGBOOK ENTRY ON 2/01/08: "REMOVED CARBURETOR TO CLEAR OBSTRUCTION CAUSING ENGINE TO RUN RICH. REINSTALLED CARB IAW CESSNA 152 MM." SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF ON THE FERRY FLIGHT BACK TO ITS OPERATIONS BASE, N49811 EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER CAUSING THE PILOT TO RETURN TO KPAO. THE ENGINE LOST POWER ON SHORT FINAL. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THE FOLLOWING DEFICIENCIES: 1. CARBURETOR HEAT AIR VALVE SEALS WERE MISSING FORE AND AFT PREVENTING THE VALVE TO SEAL. 2. THE CARBURETOR FUEL DRAIN PLUG WAS NOT SAFETY WIRED. 3. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL ASSEMBLY. 4. THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER HAD ZERO COMPRESSION. THIS CASE HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THE AIRWORTHINESS UNIT FOR INVESTIGATION OF THESE MAINTENANCE DEFICIENCIES.

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 LAX08LA055Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPalo Alto, CALoss of engine power during the takeoff initial climb due to lack of compression to a cylinder.Feb 1, 2008 · Substantial damage