# NTSB ANC92LA013: Cessna 152, N68291, Beluga, AK, November 2, 1991

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: November 2, 1991, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Beluga, AK
- Coordinates: 61.219028, -149.850784 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.2190&lon=-149.8508&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 3, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 5670
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC92LA013
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/5670/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC92LA013

## Probable cause

AN EXHAUST VALVE FAILURE.  CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN, AND TREES.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal
  - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - failure,total (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- Nose over, landing
  - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor)
  - object - tree(s) (contributing factor)

## 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N68291-1998-06-02), registration cancelled 1998-06-02, S/N 15282233 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15282233
- Airframe hours: 3339
- Engines: 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

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19911102048789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19911102048789A), Nov 2, 1991: Cessna 152, Belulga, AK, Substantial damage. Lost power. Struck trees trying for a pipeline strip. Impacted inverted. Had broken a valve. 2145 hours since tbo.

## Other investigations on N68291 (2)

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 ANC84FA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC84FA045), Mar 9, 1984: Cessna 152 (N68291), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage
- [NTSB ANC83LAG01](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC83LAG01), Dec 31, 1982: Cessna 152 (N68291), Chugiak, AK, substantial damage

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.

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