- Date
- November 2, 1991, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Beluga, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N68291Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19911102048789A
- Case key
- 5670
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
An exhaust valve failure. Contributing to the accident was the rough, uneven terrain, and trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While at 3,500 feet in normal cruise flight, the engine lost power. During an attempted forced landing, the airplane struck trees and then nosed over on its back. Examination of the engine revealed the number 2 cylinder exhaust valve broke and separated while in cruise flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68291
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15282233
- Airframe hours
- 3,339
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph & Anne Wilbur
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 28, 1991 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- ENA · Kenai, AK
- Destination
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- NONE · Gas Line Strip, runway 12, 1,000 × 50 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 850 total · 288 in this make and model · 642 as pilot in command · 237 in the last 90 days · 81 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 90 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N68291 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.