ERA10LA434

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 152 · Hollywood, FL · August 20, 2010

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 20, 2010, 09:20 local (13:20 UTC)
Place
Hollywood, FL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N93588Cessna 152
Defining event
Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of engine power (total)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 16, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA South Florida FSDO
FAA report
20100820045809A
Case key
77023

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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Findings · 2

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.

Power plantAircraft › Aircraft power plant · FailureCessna 152: 3 casesAll aircraft: 198 casesProbable cause
Not determinedNot determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determinedCessna 152: 15 casesAll aircraft: 2,247 casesProbable cause

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 pilot stated that prior to the flight, he conducted a preflight inspection and engine run-up during which he noted no anomalies. After takeoff, when the airplane was about 250 feet above ground level (agl), the engine sputtered and experienced a loss of power. The pilot immediately lowered the nose of the airplane and the engine started. He maneuvered the airplane in a left turn to avoid a housing complex and entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, maintaining 250 feet agl. The airplane was abeam mid-field when the engine lost power again. The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane to maintain airspeed and turned toward the runway. The airplane touched down on the last one-third of the runway, and continued off the end. The nosewheel collided with a rut and the airplane nosed over inverted, resulting in structural damage to the airframe. The airplane contained adequate fuel and an examination of the engine did not reveal any pre impact mechanical malfunctions. A subsequent test-run of the engine was performed, with no anomalies noted.

Factual narrative

On August 20, 2010, at 0920 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N93588, registered to Risk Mondial Aviation Inc., experience a total loss of engine power while in the traffic pattern at North Perry Airport (HWO), Hollywood, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot and one passenger reported no injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal flight was operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from HWO at 0918. The pilot stated he conducted a preflight inspection prior to the flight and the airplane had 22.5 gallons of fuel on board at takeoff. No anomalies were noted during engine start, taxi, or engine run up. The flight departed from runway 27 left and the airplane was at 250 feet above ground level (agl) when the engine sputtered and quit. The pilot immediately lowered the nose of the airplane and the engine started. He made a left turn to avoid a housing complex and entered a left downwind for runway 27 left, maintaining 250 feet agl. The airplane was abeam mid-field and the engine quit again. He The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane to maintain airspeed and turned towards runway 27 left. The airplane touched down on the last one-third of the runway and traveled off the end of the runway. The nose wheel collided with a rut and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. An engine examination was conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector on August 25, 2010. The top spark plugs were removed and a compression check was performed using a differential compression check tool. All cylinders read "80/80." A timing check was performed on the engine using a timing light and the timing was plus or minus 2 degrees in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Fuel was present in the gascolator and the carburetor. The rocker box covers were removed and the propeller was rotated by hand. Continuity of the crankshaft was confirmed to the rear accessory gears and to the valve train. The magnetos were removed and bench tested. All components were replaced on the airplane pending an engine run. An engine run was conducted on August 31, 2010, with the engine installed on the airplane. The damaged propeller was removed and a new propeller was installed. The engine was started, ran at idle power, and the throttle was increased to takeoff power. The engine was run for about 2 minutes and there was no indication of engine vibration or loss of engine power. The throttle was reduced to idle power and shut down. The reported loss of engine reported by the pilot could not be determined.

Aircraft

Registration
N93588
Reported as
Cessna 152
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15285522
Airframe hours
9,764
Engine
Lycoming O-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Rodger E. Perry
Registered owner
Risk Mondial Aviation Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · October 9, 2009 · 15 hours before
Departed
HWO · Hollywood, FL
Destination
HWO · Hollywood, FL
Airport
HWO · North Perry Airport, runway 27L, 3,255 × 100 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
Age
78
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 2, 2010
Seat
Left
Flight hours
3,910 total · 914 in this make and model · 3,910 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
88 °F, dew point 75 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
HWO

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 3, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 648 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 N93588 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.