# NTSB CHI01LA196: Cessna 150L, N5272Q, Randolph, KS, June 27, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 27, 2001, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Randolph, KS - Coordinates: 39.430839, -96.750572 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4308&lon=-96.7506&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Wichita FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 52624 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI01LA196 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52624/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA196 ## Probable cause The unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot during the forced landing. Factors to the accident were the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the rough/uneven terrain condition. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (contributing factor) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encountered, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) ## Analysis While in cruise flight the engine began to lose power and the pilot preformed a forced landing into a field. During landing rollout the airplane impacted uneven terrain and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane and its engine were subjected to a post-accident examination. Five gallons of uncontaminated aviation fuel were drained from the airplane. Uncontaminated fuel was drained from the carburetor and fuel gascolator. The carburetor was disassembled and the bowl was not contaminated. The fuel filter screen was not contaminated. Engine continuity was established throughout the engine and its accessories by rotating the crankshaft at the propeller flange. There was compression on all four cylinders and both magnetos provided spark on all leads. The oil filter was removed/disassembled and was not contaminated. The induction system was inspected and no contamination or obstructions were found in the air-filter or scat ducting. There was evidence of a fuel spill at the accident site. No anomalies were found with the airframe or its engine that could be associated with any pre-impact condition. ## Factual narrative On June 27, 2001, at 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N5272Q, sustained substantial damage during a partial power landing in a field near Randolph, Kansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The local flight departed the Manhattan Regional Airport (MHK), Manhattan, Kansas, at approximately 1100. According to the pilot's written statement, "I was flying back to MHK airport. I was at the northern end of Turtle Creek Lake at around 2500 feet [msl]. I had the RPM's/throttle set between 2200-2300 RPM. The RPM's began to drop, slowly but steadely [steadily]. I pulled my carb-heat and the RPM's dropped even further, making it difficult to sustain strait-level flight. There aren't many farmer's fields in this area (no plowed, flat fields), there were only hay fields with big hay bails scattered in them or natural fields. I chose a field to land in, and upon landing, the nose gear ran into a rain-rut/gully and collapsed." An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) performed the post-accident inspection of the airplane and its engine. Five gallons of aviation fuel, blue in color and clear of debris, were drained from the airplane. There was evidence of a fuel spill at the accident site and the FAA inspector estimated that approximately seven gallons of fuel had leaked from the airplane prior to the post-accident inspection. The carburetor accelerator pump was actuated and fuel was discharged from the carburetor. The carburetor was disassembled and the bowl was not contaminated. The fuel gascolator was full of fuel and the fuel filter screen was not contaminated. Engine continuity was established throughout the engine and its accessories by rotating the crankshaft at the propeller flange. There was compression on all four cylinders and both magnetos provided spark on all leads. The oil filter was removed/disassembled and was not contaminated. The induction system was inspected and no contamination or obstructions were found in the air-filter or scat ducting. No anomalies were found with the airframe or its engine that could be associated with any pre-impact condition. A weather reporting station, located at MHK, approximately 20 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, reported the weather at 1454 as: Wind: 170 degrees magnetic at 11 knots Visibility: 10 statute miles Sky Condition: Sky Clear Temperature: 32 degrees Celsius Dew Point: 17 degrees Celsius Pressure: 30.15 inches of mercury According to a carburetor icing probability chart, generated by Transport Canada, the probability of carburetor icing at cruise and descent power was characterized as "light". ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5272Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5272Q-2019-11-04), registration cancelled 2019-11-04, S/N 15073172, 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: 15073172 - Engines: Continental O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Kansas Air Center - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 3, 2001 - Departed: MHK, Manhattan, KS - Destination: MHK, Manhattan, KS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 175 total, 72 in this make and model, 128 as pilot in command, 69 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: MHK, 20 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 20010627019069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010627019069A), Jun 27, 2001: Cessna 150L, Manhattan, KS, No damage. (-23) No narrative (.19) on June 27, 2001, at 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N5292Q, sustained substantial damage during a partial power landing in… 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.