- Date
- December 3, 2000, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cleveland, TN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5288PCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20001203036239A
- Case key
- 51047
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
A loss of engine power during takeoff due to carburetor ice. A factor was unsuitable terrain.
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
The pilots had been conducting short-field takeoffs and, full-stop landing followed by a taxi back to runway 21. During the third takeoff, they experienced a total loss of engine power as they climbed through 100 feet. The CFI initiated a forced landing. The airplane struck trees, nosed over, and collided with a storage shed as he maneuvered the airplane for the forced landing. Terrain and other obstructions were unsuitable for a forced landing. Examination of the airplane and the engine assembly failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction of component failure. A review of weather data showed that conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.
Factual narrative
On December 3, 2000, at 1030 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N5288P, collided with the ground during a short field takeoff from Hardwick Field Airport in Cleveland, Tennessee. The certified flight instructor (CFI) received serious injuries and the dual student received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating from Cleveland, Tennessee, at the time of the accident.
The CFI reported that he and the student pilot had been conducting short-field takeoffs and, full-stop landing followed by a taxi back to runway 21. The CFI stated that during the third takeoff, they experienced a total loss of engine power as they climbed through 100 feet. At this point the CFI took control of the airplane from the dual student and initiated a forced landing. The airplane struck trees, nosed over, and collided with a storage shed as the CFI maneuvered the airplane for the forced landing. The CFI stated that he elected the left maneuvering turn to avoid terrain and other obstructions that were not suitable for a forced landing.
Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane rested about 250 feet left of the runway edge. Examination of the airplane and the engine assembly failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction of component failure. A review of weather data showed that conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5288P
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15284908
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Christian Fretland
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- HDI
- Airport
- HDI · Hardwick Field, runway 21, 3,300 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 24
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 860 total · 413 in this make and model · 792 as pilot in command · 217 in the last 90 days · 59 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,100 ft broken
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHA, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.