- Date
- May 22, 1998, 16:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Holt, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2102NCessna 140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 19, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980522010649A
- Case key
- 3994
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
Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the 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
According to the pilot, the airplane had just come out of overhaul, which included the rebuilding of the engine. After the completion of a thorough preflight, the pilot stated he executed a normal takeoff. As the airplane climbed through 500 feet, the engine had a 'sudden but smooth power loss'. After attempting to restart the engine, the pilot stated he selected a field for landing and executed an off airport landing. The airplane encountered soft ground and nosed over during the landing roll. Examination of the engine by Textron Lycoming found the engine in excellent condition. According to Lycoming, there were no discrepancies found that would have prevented the engine from running.
Factual narrative
On May 22, 1998, at 1645 central daylight time, a Cessna 140, N2102N experienced a loss of engine power on takeoff from the Yellow River airport in Holt, Florida. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight. The commercial pilot was not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, the airplane had just come out of overhaul, which included the rebuilding of the engine. The accident flight was the first test flight. After the completion of a thorough preflight, the pilot stated he executed a normal takeoff. As the airplane climbed through 500 feet, the engine had a "sudden but smooth power loss". After attempting to restart the engine, the pilot stated he selected a field for landing and executed an off airport landing. The airplane encountered soft ground and nosed over during the landing roll.
Examination of the engine by Textron Lycoming found the engine in excellent condition. The engine was partially disassembled, and continuity was established throughout. The engine timing was checked, magnetos were tested, cylinders were examined, and compression was checked with no discrepancies noted. Lycoming did note however, that the carburetor was not present during the examination eliminating the possibility of an engine run. According to Lycoming, there were no discrepancies found that would have prevented the engine from running.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2102N
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12338
- Airframe hours
- 2,958
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Reddoch Williams
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 22, 1998 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- FD93 · FL
- Airport
- FD93 · Yellow River, runway 9, 3,000 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,500 total · 250 in this make and model · 6,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CEW, 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.
Other investigations on N2102N · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.