# NTSB CEN19LA275: Cessna 150, N150CR, Rio Grande City, TX, August 15, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 15, 2019, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Rio Grande City, TX - Coordinates: 26.380556, -98.816947 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.3806&lon=-98.8169&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Continental Motors - NTSB case key (mKey): 100087 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA275 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100087/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100087 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA275 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power following an increase in oil temperature for undetermined reasons during cruise flight, which resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2071812), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng oil sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058550): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058550/cases.md?model=2071812), [All aircraft, 130 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058550/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2071812), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna 150E, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2071812), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 150E, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2071812), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 150E, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071812), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was on a cross-country flight; about 20 minutes into the flight, the oil temperature gauge indicated a red line reading. The pilot reduced engine power, applied full rich mixture, and reduced airplane pitch in attempt to lower the oil temperature. The airplane was midway between the destination and the nearest airport, and the pilot elected to continue to the destination. The engine then started to run rough and lost all power. The pilot landed the airplane on an open area on hilly and wooded terrain where it impacted a rock pile and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage and aft fuselage. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not identify anything that would have caused the engine to overheat or the loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On August 15, 2019, about 1700 central daylight time, a Cessna 150E airplane, N150CR, impacted rough terrain and nosed over during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Rio Grande City, Texas. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial empennage and aft fuselage damage. The airplane was registered to an individual and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area about the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Mid Valley Airport, near Weslaco, Texas, about 1635 and was destined for a private airstrip, near Roma, Texas. According to information from the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to relocate the airplane to the owner's ranch. The flight was uneventful until about 20 minutes into the flight when the oil temperature gauge indicated a red line reading. The pilot reduced engine power, applied full rich mixture, and reduced airplane pitch, in an attempt to reduce the oil temperature. The airplane was midway between the destination and the nearest airport, and the pilot elected to continue to the destination. The engine started to run rough and then lost all power. The terrain was hilly and covered with trees. The pilot landed the airplane on an open area where it impacted a rock pile and subsequently nosed over. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector was asked to examine the wreckage. He, in part, reported that the airplane was cut up, put on a trailer, and throw in a junk pile on a ranch before the accident was reported. The engine was still cowled and upside down. He additionally reported that there was nothing identified which would have caused the overheat or the loss of engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N150CR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N150CR-2021-01-30), registration cancelled 2021-01-30, S/N 15061245, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150 (E) - Registry model: [Cessna 150E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150e) (registry code 2071812) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15061245 - Year built: 1965 - Airframe hours: 3749.91 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 21, 2018 - Departed: TXW, Weslaco, TX - Destination: Roma, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 26, 2018; seat: left; flight hours: 3,127 total, 440 in this make and model, 3,041 as pilot in command, 108 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 104 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: KMFE, 33 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 20190815023019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190815023019A), Aug 15, 2019: Cessna 150E, Rio Grand, TX, Destroyed. FAA received anonymous notification of accident in starr county and provided aircraft owners number. Contacted owner who stated he did not report accident due… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 27, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100087. 2.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480296&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Communication Summary -- Inspector B. Fricker, FAA (item 2, .PDF, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480297&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Communication%20Summary%20--%20Inspector%20B.%20Fricker,%20FAA-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation - Continental Motors (item 3, .PDF, 110 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480298&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation%20-%20Continental%20Motors-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.