- Date
- October 3, 1993, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Osceola, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4646XCessna 150G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931003037379A
- Case key
- 9405
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
Fracture of the number four piston at the piston pin boss. A factor related to the accident was: the lack of suitable terrain for an emergency landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise, there was a complete loss of engine power, and the pilot was forced to ditch the airplane into a nearby lake. An examination of the engine revealed that the #4 piston had fractured at the piston boss, and the #4 cylinder had fractured above the cooling fins at the cylinder head.
Factual narrative
On October 3,1993, about 1230 central daylight time, a Cessna 150G airplane, N4646X, experienced loss of engine power during cruise and ditched in Truman Reservoir near Osceola, Missouri. The solo private pilot reported no injury. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions existed in the vicinity. The personal flight originated in Belton, Missouri about 1145 without a flight plan and operated under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot stated the engine made a bang, shook and ran roughly about 5 miles from destination. As he checked indicators, the engine quit running. The airplane glided to water touchdown about 60 yards offshore. The pilot exited the submerged cabin and swam to shore.
External examination of the engine showed the number four cylinder fractured above the cooling fins at its cylinder head. Internally, the number four cylinder head was found fractured at the piston pin boss.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4646X
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15064696
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Zaner Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 3, 1993 · 84 hours before
- Departed
- MO24
- Destination
- MO24
- Airport
- MO24 · Osceola Municipal
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 986 total · 944 in this make and model · 894 as pilot in command · 76 in the last 90 days · 46 in the last 30 days · 36 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SGF, 60 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.