20201015020859A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · South Hill, WA · October 15, 2020

Date: October 15, 2020 · 16:05 local
Place: South Hill, WA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6585L
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR21LA015
Reported as: Cessna 152
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,194 total500 in this make and model69 in the last 90 days

N6585LRegistration cancelled Dec 4, 2021 · Cessna 152S/N 15284449 Airframe modelCessna 152 Engine 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.

The pilot was ferrying the aircraft from pierce county airport, (plu) to auburn airport, (S50). Just after take off the pilot noticed that the engine RPM began to drop and that the engine was unresponsive to any control inputs. The pilot attempted to land in a parking lot just to the northwest of the north end of the airport. Upon landing, the aircraft struck a parked vehicle and came to rest on its nose. There was no post crash fire. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the pilot received minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS FERRYING THE AIRCRAFT FROM PIERCE COUNTY AIRPORT, (PLU) TO AUBURN AIRPORT, (S50). JUST AFTER TAKE OFF THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO DROP AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO ANY CONTROL INPUTS. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A PARKING LOT JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE NORTH END OF THE AIRPORT. UPON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE AND CAME TO REST ON ITS NOSE. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

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 WPR21LA015Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportSouth Hill, WAThe pilot’s failure to ensure that the fuel supply had been completely drained of water, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to water contamination.Oct 15, 2020 · Substantial damage