- Date
- September 5, 1992, 10:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Blairsville, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2059VCessna 140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 8659
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 complete loss of engine power which resulted from two stuck exhaust valves.
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
Reportedly, the pilot refueled the airplane after it had been parked on the ramp several days. After completing the preflight inspection, the pilot took off, and five minutes into the flight the engine lost power; the pilot made a forced landing in a field. The post accident engine examination discovered that two exhaust valves were stuck in the open position. Both valves were forcibly removed from the engine. The valve examination further disclosed that the valve stems were coated with a layer of carbon, which prevented normal valve movement. The pilot used automotive fuel in the airplane, and both oil and fuel additives were used routinely.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2059V
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 114272
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Immel, Roy
- Registered owner
- Immel, Roy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- 46A · Blairsville, GA
- Destination
- 6R9 · Llano, TX
- Airport
- 46A · Blairsville, runway 25, 3,200 × 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
- 67
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 25 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command · 49 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHA, 45 nm away