# NTSB CEN14LA351: Cessna 152, N49785, Denton, TX, July 5, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 5, 2014, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Denton, TX - Coordinates: 33.201946, -97.275001 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2019&lon=-97.2750&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 1, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: North Texas FSDO (FAA) - NTSB case key (mKey): 89637 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA351 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89637/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89637 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA351 ## Probable cause The in-flight failure of the right wing’s rear spar. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wing structure: spar (on wing)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035711): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035711/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 43 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035711/cases.md) - [Wing structure: spar (on wing)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035711): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Fatigue/wear/corrosion; cases with it: [Cessna 152, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035711/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 43 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035711/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 290 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot and private pilot were conducting a personal cross-country flight. The private pilot, who was flying from the right seat, reported that, while at 3,500 ft mean sea level, about 10 to 15 nautical miles west of the destination airport, he heard a loud "boom." The commercial pilot, who was in the left seat, also reported that he heard the "boom." He subsequently took the flight controls but did not feel or see any anomalies with the airplane. He continued to the destination airport and landed without further incident. During a postflight examination of the airplane, a hole was found in the top of the right wing near the fuel cap, and a fracture was found near the upper portion of the right wing's rear spar. Further examination revealed that there was corrosion near the wing spar fracture. It is likely that the "boom" heard by both pilots was the in-flight failure of the right wing's rear spar. ## Factual narrative On July 5, 2014, about 1830 central daylight time, a Cessna C152 airplane, N49785, sustained substantial damage when the right wing's rear spar fractured in-flight. The commercial pilot and private pilot onboard were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the US Aviation Group under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Graham Municipal Airport (RPH), Graham, Texas, and terminated at Denton Municipal Airport (DTO), Denton, Texas. The private pilot who was flying the airplane from the right seat reported that while flying at 3,500 feet mean sea level, 10 to 15 nautical miles west of the destination airport, a loud "boom" was heard. The commercial pilot in the left seat also reported that a "boom" was heard, and he subsequently took the flight controls, but did not feel or see any anomalies with the airplane. He continued to the destination airport and landed without further incident. During a post-flight inspection of the airplane, the pilots discovered a hole in the top of the right wing near the fuel cap. Further inspection revealed a fracture in the right wing's rear spar. According to a Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector who examined the airplane, a "corrosion crack" was located where the right wing's rear spar failed. Photographs provided by the FAA showed a compression fracture of the upper aft portion of the right wing's rear spar, about 1 foot outboard of the wing-root. Surface corrosion is visible at the fracture location in the photograph. The lower portion of the spar remained intact. The fracture was not examined by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N49785](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N49785), registered now, S/N 15283514, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15283514 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 9942.7 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-N2C 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: US Aviation Group LLC. - Registered owner: US Aviation Group LLC. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: RPH, GRAHAM, TX - Destination: DTO, DENTON, TX - Flight plan: VFR - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 19; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 21, 2014; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 179 total, 127 in this make and model, 108 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 47 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 22; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 21, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 436 total, 320 in this make and model, 312 as pilot in command, 107 in the last 90 days, 71 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: KDTO, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20140705011429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140705011429A), Jul 5, 2014: Cessna 152, Denton, TX, Substantial damage. N49785 a Cessna 152 was on a routine training flight with two us certificated pilots. The aircraft was dispatched from kdto to krph were it conducted several… ## Other investigations on N49785 (2) 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. - [NTSB CEN25LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA036), Nov 9, 2024: Cessna 152 (N49785), Bridgeport, TX, destroyed. Probable cause: The student pilot’s delayed go-around from an unstabilized approach and failure to attain/maintain control during the go-around that resulted in an impact with terrain. - [NTSB FTW82DPA03](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW82DPA03), Oct 5, 1981: Cessna 152 (N49785), Mcgregor, TX, substantial damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 21, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89637. 5.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 5.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439167&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation (FAA Inspector) (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439169&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(FAA%20Inspector)-Master.PDF - Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 2 photos, 116 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439171&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photos%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.