# NTSB DEN04LA044: Cessna 152, N66952, West Jordan, UT, February 12, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 12, 2004, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: West Jordan, UT - Coordinates: 40.599388, -111.96054 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5994&lon=-111.9605&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Salt Lake City FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58762 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58762/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04LA044 ## Probable cause the failure of the exhaust valve for the engine's number one cylinder, resulting in the exhaust valve/piston contact and the subsequent total loss of engine power. Contributing factors include the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing and the snow covered field. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, maneuvering - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - failure (cause) - engine assembly,piston - punctured - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - Nose over, emergency landing ## Analysis According to the instructor, they were practicing ground maneuvers at approximately 6,000 feet msl when the engine began to "run rough." The instructor said they were unable to maintain altitude, and while returning to the airport the "engine quit." The instructor made a forced landing in a snow-covered field. During the landing, the airplane's nose landing gear caught the snow and the airplane nosed over. The airplane's nose landing gear was displaced aft, buckling the firewall. The empennage was buckled just aft of the rear window, and the vertical stabilizer was crushed. The instructor said the field was covered with over a foot of snow. An examination of the airplane's engine revealed a hole in the number 1 piston, and a fractured exhaust valve for the number 1 cylinder. ## Factual narrative On February 12, 2004, at approximately 1630 mountain standard time, a Cessna 152, N66952, operated by ALTA Aircraft Maintenance, Inc., was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a forced landing in a snow-covered field near West Jordan, Utah. The commercial certificated flight instructor and a student pilot, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this local instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Salt Lake City, at approximately 1600. According to the instructor, they were practicing ground reference maneuvers at approximately 6,000 feet msl when the engine began to "run rough." The instructor said they were unable to maintain altitude, and while returning to the airport the "engine quit." The instructor made a forced landing in a snow-covered field approximately 3 1/2 miles south of the Salt Lake City Municipal 2 Airport (U42). The airplane struck the ground and nosed over. The airplane's nose landing gear was displaced aft, buckling the firewall. The empennage was buckled just aft of the rear window, and the vertical stabilizer was crushed. The instructor said the field was covered with over a foot of snow. According to an FAA inspector, an examination of the airplane's engine revealed a hole in the number 1 piston, and a fractured exhaust valve for the number 1 cylinder. No other deficiencies were noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N66952](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N66952-2020-10-02), registration cancelled 2020-10-02, S/N 15281687, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15281687 - Airframe hours: 8282.7 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: ALTA Aircraft Maintenance Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, June 24, 2003, 59.8 hours before - Departed: U42, West Jordan, UT - Destination: U42, West Jordan, UT - Airport: U42, Salt Lake City Municipal 2 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review June 18, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 677 total, 191 in this make and model, 593 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 90 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KU42, 3 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 20040212001319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040212001319A), Feb 12, 2004: Cessna 152, West Jordan, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) Both pilots reported the engine began running rough after about 30 minutes in flight. The pilot-in-command, the flight instructor, elected to land in a… ## Other investigations on N66952 (1) 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. - [NTSB DEN85LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN85LA111), Apr 4, 1985: Cessna 152 (N66952), West Jordan, UT, substantial damage 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.