# NTSB CEN09LA308: Cessna 150L, N17214, Baton Rouge, LA, May 21, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 20, 2009, 20:50 local (May 21, 2009, 01:50 UTC)
- Place: Baton Rouge, LA
- Coordinates: 30.539495, -91.220581 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5395&lon=-91.2206&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report September 30, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 73876
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09LA308
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73876/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73876
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA308

## Probable cause

The partial loss of engine power due to the instructor pilot's failure to use carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the instructor pilot's decision to attempt a return to the departure airport with degraded engine performance.

## Findings

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

- [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md)
- [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md)
- [Engine controls](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057600): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057600/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057600/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Enroute-cruise: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 361 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md)
- [Enroute-cruise: 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)
- [Enroute-cruise: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) were conducting a night, cross country flight. Weather conditions were conducive to carburetor icing at both cruise and descent power settings. When the airplane was about 7 miles from their first destination, the engine's performance began to decay. The CFI ignored the student pilot's suggestion to turn on the carburetor heat and elected to turn around and fly approximately 16 miles back to their departure airfield. The engine performance continued to decay, forcing the CFI to land in a field about four miles from the airport. During landing, the airplane flipped over on its back, resulting in substantial damage.

## Factual narrative

On May 20, 2009, about 2050 central daylight time, a Cessna 150L airplane, N17214, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot received minor injuries. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 with a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan. The cross country training flight originated from Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR), Baton Rouge, Louisiana, en-route to False River Regional Airport (HZR), New Roads, Louisiana. The pilots were conducting a night, cross country training flight. They stated to investigators they were about seven miles from HZR when the engine experienced an unexplained drop in revolutions per minute (RPM) from 2,450 to 2,200 RPM. The student pilot suggested to the CFI to turn on the carburetor heat, but the CFI elected not to turn the carburetor heat on and to turn around and return to BTR, about 16 miles away. En route to BTR the engine performance continued to decay until the airplane could not continue in level flight. The airplane landed in a field approximately four miles from BTR. During landing the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Examination of the airplane showed impact damage to the vertical tail and both horizontal stabilizers, the empennage was cracked, and the engine was separated from the airplane. No evidence of an engine mechanical failure was found and the fuel was found to be free of contaminants. Meteorological readings for BTR at 2053 indicated the temperature was 26 degrees Celsius and the dew point was 16 degrees Celsius. The carburetor icing chart found in FAA - P - 8740-24, Tips on Winter Flying, shows the airplane operating in an area of potential "Light Icing – glide or cruise power." The carburetor icing chart from DOT/FAA/CT-82/44 Publication indicated the airplane was operating in an area of "icing – glide and cruise power," and "serious icing at glide power."

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N17214](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N17214-2013-01-31), registration cancelled 2013-01-31, S/N 15073667, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150L
- 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: 15073667
- Airframe hours: 6995.5
- Engines: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Brock Edson G
- Registered owner: Brock Edson G
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, December 12, 2008
- Departed: BTR, Baton Rouge, LA
- Destination: HZR, New Roads, LA
- Flight plan: Unknown
- Airport: BTR, Baton Rouge Metro Airport

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 68; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 3, 2009; seat: right; flight hours: 12,000 total, 250 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- Student pilot; age 35; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 56 total, 11 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 50° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Observed at: BTR, 4 nm away

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73876. 750 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 308 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40317133&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Witness Statement - Flight Instructor (item 2, .PDF, 164 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40317131&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%20-%20Flight%20Instructor-Redacted.PDF
- Witness Statement - Student Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 277 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40317132&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%20-%20Student%20Pilot-Redacted.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.

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