- Date
- March 22, 2009, 16:10 local (20:10 UTC)
- Place
- Madison, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5920TCessna 150D
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Indianapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090322009849A
- Case key
- 73580
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
The loss of engine power due to the failure of the engine's muffler which melted and grounded the ignition P-lead wire.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During a local pleasure flight the pilot noticed that the engine oil temperature indication was rising. He reduced the throttle, and then smelled something and saw smoke coming from under the instrument panel. He opened the window to alleviate the smoke. About 3 to 4 minutes from the airport, the engine lost power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a golf course. The nose landing gear collapsed during the forced landing, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane's firewall. Examination of the airplane subsequent to the accident revealed that the aft portion of the muffler was separated from the assembly allowing hot exhaust gasses to enter the engine compartment. The magneto P-lead wire was melted and shorted to the airplane structure.
Factual narrative
During a local pleasure flight the pilot noticed the engine oil temperature indication was rising. He reduced the throttle and then smelled something and saw smoke coming from under the instrument panel. He opened the window to alleviate the smoke. About 3 to 4 minutes from the airport, the engine lost power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a golf course. The nose landing gear collapsed during the forced landing resulting in substantial damage to the airplane's firewall. Examination of the airplane subsequent to the accident revealed that the aft portion of the muffler was separated from the assembly allowing hot exhaust gasses to enter the engine compartment. The magneto P-lead wire was melted and shorted to the airplane structure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5920T
- Reported as
- Cessna 150D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15060620
- Airframe hours
- 6,762
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200 SERIES, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 12, 2009
- Departed
- IMS · Madison, IN
- Destination
- IMS · Madison, IN
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- IMS · Madison Municipal Airport
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 15, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 55 total · 10 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
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 N5920T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.