# NTSB ATL05LA071: Cessna 152, N48820, Jacksonville, NC, April 5, 2005

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 5, 2005, 11:05 local (16:05 UTC)
- Place: Jacksonville, NC
- Coordinates: 34.828887, -77.611946
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8289&lon=-77.6119&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 31, 2006
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Greensboro FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 61259
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL05LA071
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61259/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05LA071

## Probable cause

The loss of engine power due to the failure of the carburetor mixture cable which resulted in fuel starvation.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of engine power, climb
  - fuel system - starvation (cause)
  - mixture control,cable - failure,total (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing
  - terrain condition - ground (contributing factor)

## Analysis

According to the certified flight instructor, after the engine run-up, the flight departed runway 23 to practice traffic pattern maneuvers. During the climb out the airplane started to make a "spitting" sound, the engine rpm dropped from 2500 rpm to 1900 rpm, and the airspeed decreased to 60 knots. The certified flight instructor took over the flight controls, and conducted a forced landing. The airplane landed approximately 145 yards off the departure end of runway 23 at which time the nose wheel gear collapsed. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing assembly was buckled. The nose gear was broken off of the engine mounts, and the firewall was buckled. Review of maintenance logbooks revealed no record of cable replacement within the 4859 flight hours. Examination of the engine controls revealed that the mixture cable was broken.

## Factual narrative

On March 5, 2005, at 1105 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N48820 registered to and operated by Jacksonville Flying Service, nose gear collapsed during an emergency landing at Albert J. Ellis Airport, Jacksonville, North Carolina. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the certified flight instructor and student pilot were uninjured. The flight departed Albert J. Ellis Airport, North Carolina, on March 5, 2005 at 1100.

According to the certified flight instructor, after the engine run-up, the flight departed runway 23 to practice pattern maneuvers. As the airplane climbed out the airplane started to make a "spitting" sound, and the engine rpm dropped from 2500 rpm to 1900 rpm, and the airspeed of the airplane decreased to 60 knots. The certified flight instructor took over the flight controls, pitched the airplane for airspeed, continued flying the runway heading, and conducted a forced landing. The airplane landed approximately 145 yards off the departure end of runway 23.

Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing assembly was buckled. The nose gear was broken off of the engine mounts, and the firewall was buckled. Review of maintenance logbooks revealed no record of cable replacement within the 4859 flight hours on the airplane or since the airplane was new. Examination of the engine controls revealed that the mixture cable was broken.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N48820](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48820-2009-06-26), registration cancelled 2009-06-26, S/N 15280982, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 152
- Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15280982
- Airframe hours: 9620
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-l2C 108 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Jacksonville Flying Service
- Registered owner: Jacksonville Flying service
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 25, 2005, 5 hours before
- Departed: OAJ, Jacksonville, NC
- Destination: OAJ, Jacksonville, NC
- Airport: OAJ, Albert J Ellis, runway 23, 7,100 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; seat: right; flight hours: 5,000 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observed at: OAJ

## 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 20050405005519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050405005519A), Apr 5, 2005: Cessna 152, Jacksonville, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft was departing rwy 23 at oaj on an instructional flight when at approx. 150' engine lost power and PIC elected to shut down engine and land…

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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