# Accident 20230712013959A: Cessna 150L, Elberton, GA, July 12, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 12, 2023, 09:15 local time
- Place: Elberton, GA
- Airport: Elbert County-Patz Fld
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.0936° N, 82.8007° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0936&lon=-82.8007&mi=10
- Aircraft: N16071, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N16071-2023-12-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 150L (registry code 2071826, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150L
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA297) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230712013959A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATED HE HAD A LOSS OF POWER ON 7/8/2023 AND RAN ROUGH AFTER REFUELING ON 7/11/2023.  THE PILOT REMOVED, CLEANED, AND REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS. ON 7/12/2023 THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT STATED THE ENGINE STARTED NORMALLY AND THEN SKIPPED "A FEW' TIMES AS HE TAXIED BUT RAN NORMALLY AFTER ADJUSTING THE FUEL MIX.

MULTIPLE WITNESS STATEMENTS STATE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AS THE PILOT BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL. AFTER ROTATION, THE PILOT LOST POWER AND CRASHED SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS PASSED THE END OF RUNWAY.

SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE CAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE OF THE #1 CYLINDER WITH A STUCK EXHAUST VALVE.

## 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 ERA23LA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA297), Jul 12, 2023: Cessna 150L (N16071), Elberton, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to take off with a known engine issue, which resulted in a partial loss of power on the initial climb due to the No. 1 cylinder’s exhaust valve becoming stuck. Contributing to…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.