- Date
- June 13, 2008, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Summerville, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5471QCessna 150L
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20080613839419A
- Case key
- 69026
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
A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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
The flight was departing for a ferry flight to an airport 25 miles away and just after takeoff the engine stopped. The pilot said that the engine originally started without hesitation but that during the run-up there was an indication of a fouled plug in the engine. The pilot spent several minutes clearing up the fouled plug and then took off. When the engine stopped, the pilot manipulated the throttle, causing a momentary return of power, but then the engine stopped again so the pilot made a forced landing straight ahead, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. A Federal Aviation Inspector who inspected the engine found that the magnetos would spark and that there was compression in all cylinders. The inspector also disassembled the carburetor and found no anomalies with the carburetor. The engine had a current annual inspection and had 1800 hours since the last major overhaul. The pilot submitted a written statement but not an aircraft accident report.
Factual narrative
On June 13, 2008, approximately 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150; N5471Q, operated and piloted by a commercial pilot crashed shortly after takeoff from Summerville Airport, Summerville, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and the flight was was being conducted as a ferry flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the only occupant, was not injured during the accident. The local flight was originating for the purpose of ferrying the aircraft about 25 miles to Mt Pleasant Regional Airport-Faison Field (KLRO).
The pilot said the engine originally started without hesitation and he taxied to runway 24 for takeoff. Upon reaching the runway, the run up indicated there was a fouled plug in the engine. Several minutes were spent clearing up the fouled plug and the pilot proceeded to takeoff. He reported he had 2475 rpm on takeoff, but, passing though about 60 feet above the ground after takeoff, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. Manipulating the throttle caused a momentary return of power, but, the engine stopped again so the pilot made a forced landing straight ahead.
A Federal Aviation Inspector inspected the engine and found the magnetos would spark and there was compression in all cylinders. The inspector also disassembled the carburetor and found no anomalies with the carburetor.
The pilot submitted a written statement but not an aircraft accident report.
The airplane and engine both had current annual inspections. The engine had 1800 hours since major overhaul.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5471Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15073371
- Engine
- Continental O-200 SERIES, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DYB · Summerville, SC
- Destination
- LRO
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- DYB · Summerville Airport, runway 24, 3,701 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 129° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KCHS, 25 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 77 KB 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.
Other investigations on N5471Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.