# NTSB CEN09IA172: Cessna 150, N747KA, Grayslake, IL, February 17, 2009

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: February 17, 2009, 16:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place: Grayslake, IL
- Coordinates: 42.329723, -88.07917 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3297&lon=-88.0792&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 13, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 73381
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09IA172
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73381/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73381
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09IA172

## Probable cause

The failure of the number 1 cylinder intake valve which resulted in a partial loss of engine power. Contributing to the incident was the failure of the operator to maintain the engine per manufacturer's recommendations.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Maintenance: scheduled/routine maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 320 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md)
- [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng cyl section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 373 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md)
- [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng cyl section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not serviced/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 373 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot rented the airplane for a local flight with the passenger. While maneuvering, the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power and the pilot could not maintain altitude. The pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing to a frozen lake and landed uneventfully. Examination of the engine revealed that the Number 1 cylinder intake valve had fractured. The cause of the failure could not be determined. The operator exceeded the engine manufacturer's recommended time between overhaul by over 1,600 hours. However, because the operator operated under Part 91, they were not subject to the Federal regulations that require compliance with manufacturers' recommended maintenance instructions.

## Factual narrative

On February 17, 2009, approximately 1630 central standard time, a Cessna 150L single-engine airplane, N747KA, experienced a partial loss of engine power while maneuvering near Grayslake, Illinois. The airplane was not damaged. The airline transport pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated by Palwaukee Flyers and registered to Flight Center at Service Aviation, Inc., Wheeling, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight departed Chicago Executive Airport (PWK), Wheeling, Illinois, at 1610. According to the local authorities and the pilot, the pilot rented the airplane from Palwaukee Flyers at PWK. While maneuvering near Grayslake, the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power and the pilot could not maintain altitude. The pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing to a frozen lake. The airplane landed uneventfully on the frozen lake. The operator stated that the Continental O-200A48 engine experienced a problem with the number one cylinder. The airplane was recovered for further examination. A review of the engine logbooks revealed that the engine underwent its most recent 100-hour inspection on February 6, 2009, at a tachometer time of 9,584.1 hours. At the time of the incident, the engine had accumulated 3,429.2 hours since major overhaul. Teledyne Continental Service Information Letter SIL98-9 listed the time between overhaul for the O-200A engine, of 1,800 hours, or 12 years. Teledyne Continental Motors records revealed the engine was remanufactured at the factory in 1993. Because Palwaukee Flyers operates under Part 91, they were not subject to the Federal regulations that require compliance with manufacturers' recommended maintenance instructions. Examination of the engine by an engine repair facility revealed that the number 1 cylinder intake valve fractured. The cause of the failure could not be determined. The following incident was reported to another NTSB investigator during an investigation of another accident with the operator. This incident was not reported to the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the NTSB. On August 11, 2008, a student pilot and a flight instructor reportedly experienced the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning during an instructional flight in N747KA. An engine logbook record for N747KA, dated August 14, 2008, showed that the left front exhaust stack riser was removed and replaced at a tachometer time of 9,457.8 hours.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N747KA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N747KA-2021-12-04), registration cancelled 2021-12-04, S/N 15073454, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150 (L)
- Registry model: [Cessna 150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (registry code 2071826) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15073454
- Airframe hours: 9597
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, February 6, 2009, 13 hours before
- Departed: PWK, Wheeling, IL
- Destination: PWK, Wheeling, IL

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 18, 2008; seat: right; flight hours: 14,808 total, 700 in this make and model, 6,240 as pilot in command, 184 in the last 90 days, 51 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 39 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 20090217002169I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090217002169I), Feb 17, 2009: Cessna 150L, Grayslake, IL, No damage. (-23) Aircraft departed pwk at approximately 1600 and flew near campbell airport (C81) about 2500-3000 feet and were going to practice rectangular courses.…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73381. 467 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 337 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314862&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Excerpt of Engine Logbook (item 2, .PDF, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314664&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20of%20Engine%20Logbook-Redacted.PDF
- TCM Service Information Letter SIL98-9 (item 3, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314665&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=TCM%20Service%20Information%20Letter%20SIL98-9-Master.PDF

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.