- Date
- August 24, 2020, 09:35 local (14:35 UTC)
- Place
- Crowley, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N639RRCessna R182
- Defining event
- Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 3
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200824019719A
- Case key
- 101852
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 failure of the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve that resulted in a partial loss of engine power. Based on available evidence, the reason for the failed valve was not determined.
Findings · 1
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
About 30 minutes into the aerial observation flight, the engine began "popping" and running rough. The pilot was unable to maintain sufficient engine RPMs and elected to return to the departure airport for a precautionary landing. Based on the airplane's location relative to the runway orientation, the pilot performed a downwind landing. During the approach, the airplane was "a little high and fast;" however, the pilot was committed to the landing due to the reduced engine performance. The airplane touched down, overran the end of the turf runway impacted a ditch and came to rest upright. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed the No. 4 engine cylinder exhaust valve was stuck which resulted in a bent push rod and partial loss of engine power. Due to damage to the operator's facility and the airplane from hurricane activity, further examination of the engine was not conducted and the reason for the stuck valve was not determined.
Factual narrative
On August 24, 2020, about 0935 central daylight time, a Cessna R182 airplane, N639RR, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Crowley, Louisiana. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. According to the pilot, the preflight engine run-up and takeoff were normal. About 30 minutes into the aerial observation flight, the engine began "popping" and running rough. The pilot was unable to maintain sufficient engine RPMs and elected to return to the departure airport for a precautionary landing. Based on the airplane's location relative to the runway orientation, the pilot performed a downwind landing. During the approach, the airplane was "a little high and fast;" however, the pilot was committed to the landing due to the reduced engine performance. The airplane touched down, overran the end of the turf runway, impacted a ditch and came to rest upright. The pilot reported the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine by the operator revealed the No. 4 engine cylinder exhaust valve was stuck which resulted in a bent push rod and partial loss of engine power. Following the accident, hurricane activity damaged the operator's facility and the accident airplane, and further examination of the engine was unable to be conducted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N639RR
- Reported as
- Cessna R182 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- R18200245
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 9,316.6
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J3C5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 4, 2020 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- LS09 · Crowley, LA
- Destination
- LS09 · Crowley, LA
- Airport
- LS09 · AJ Patrol Airport, runway 18, 2,400 × 150 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Onboard weather, Stall warning system
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
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 21, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,129 total · 692 in this make and model · 1,036 as pilot in command · 223 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- IYA, 16 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.