# NTSB FTW02LA042: Cessna 152, N48941, New Braunfels, TX, November 22, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 22, 2001, 15:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: New Braunfels, TX - Coordinates: 29.700571, -98.109413 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7006&lon=-98.1094&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 53806 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW02LA042 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53806/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA042 ## Probable cause the loss of engine power due to carburetor icing conditions while in cruise flight. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the ensuing forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (cause) - fuel system,carburetor - ice (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot was flying the airplane in cruise flight at 4,500 feet, when the engine began to shake and lost partial power. The pilot elected to divert to a nearby airport and troubleshot the loss of engine power by adjusting the mixture and turning on the carburetor heat. He reported that the engine regained power; however, it lost total power shortly thereafter. The pilot did not think he would be able to make it to the airport, so he elected to land in a field. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear contacted a rut in the field, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. According to the operator, they found "plenty of fuel onboard the airplane." A mechanic, who examined the engine after the accident, reported no anomalies with the engine. At the time of the accident, the temperature was reported as 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit), and the dew point as 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit). Review of carburetor icing probability charts revealed that with the aforementioned temperature and dew point, the conditions existed for "moderate icing [at] cruise power or serious icing [at] glide power." ## Factual narrative On November 22, 2001, at 1545 central standard time, a Cessna 152 single-engine airplane, N48941, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while in cruise flight near New Braunfels, Texas. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated by the International Flight Center of San Antonio, Texas. The private pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight originated from Addison, Texas, at 1345. According to the operator, the pilot pilot flew from San Antonio to Addison on the morning of the day of the accident. The pilot refueled the airplane with 18 gallons of avgas and departed for his return trip to San Antonio. While in cruise flight at 4,500 feet, the engine began to shake and lost partial power. The pilot diverted towards the New Braunfels Municipal Airport and troubleshot the loss of engine power by adjusting the mixture and turning on the carburetor heat. The pilot reported that the engine regained power; however, it lost total power shortly thereafter. The pilot did not think he would be able to make it to the airport, so he elected to land in a field. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear contacted a rut in the field, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. According to the operator, they found "plenty of fuel onboard the airplane." The FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, stated that the airplane's vertical stabilizer was bent to one side and the nose landing gear was damaged. The NTSB investigator-in-charge requested that an aircraft mechanic examine the engine. The mechanic checked crankshaft continuity, confirmed cylinder compressions of #1-68/80, #2-67/80, #3-72/80, and #4-69/80 psi, confirmed that the gascolator and fuel filters were clean, and that the ignition system operated. At 1553, the San Antonio International Airport's weather observation facility (located approximately 23 miles southwest of the accident site) reported the temperature as 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit), and the dew point as 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit). Review of the "Light Aircraft Piston Engine Carburetor Ice Detector/Warning Device Sensitivity/Effectiveness" chart, dated June 1982, revealed that with the aforementioned temperature and dew point, the conditions existed for "serious icing at glide power." A similar chart, published by the Aviation Safety Bureau Transport Canada, revealed that conditions existed for "moderate icing [at] cruise power or serious icing [at] glide power." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N48941](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N48941), registered now, S/N 15281062, built 1977 (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: 15281062 - Airframe hours: 9963.9 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: International Flight Center - Registered owner: Willie Alva - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 15, 2001, 15 hours before - Departed: ADS, Addison, TX - Destination: SAT, San Antonio, TX - Airport: BAZ, New Braunfels Municipal ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 17; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 8, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 103 total, 8 in this make and model, 64 as pilot in command, 90 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC) - Wind: 180° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.75 inHg - Observed at: SAT, 23 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 20011122031099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011122031099A), Nov 22, 2001: Cessna 152, New Braunfels, TX, Substantial damage. (.19) On November 22, 2001, at 1545 central standard time, a Cessna 152 single-engine airplane, N48941, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing… 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.