# NTSB FTW93LA188: Reims Cessna FA 150K, N922SZ, Willis, TX, June 13, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 13, 1993, 12:40 local (17:40 UTC) - Place: Willis, TX - Location: 30.4342° N, 95.4842° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Willis, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4342&lon=-95.4842&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 19, 1993 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18773 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW93LA188 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18773/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW93LA188 ## Probable cause LOSS OF PARTIAL ENGINE POWER DUE TO STUCK EXHAUST VALVE AND EXHAUST AND INTAKE VALVE BINDING WITH CARBON BUILDUP. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - normal - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - closed (cause) - engine assembly,valve,intake - binding(mechanical) (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis FOLLOWING A PARTIAL POWER LOSS, THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING AT A RATE OF 50 FEET PER MINUTE. THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN WAS COVERED BY WOODLANDS AND NUMEROUS TRAFFIC WAS ALONG THE AVAILABLE ROADWAYS. DURING THE FORCED LANDING APPROACH TO A FIELD, A FENCE WAS OBSERVED ALONG THE LANDING ROLL PATHWAY. THE PILOT MADE A RIGHT TURN AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE MAIN GEAR DUG INTO THE WET TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FLOWN 2.6 HOURS SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE STUCK. THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER INTAKE VALVE AND THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVE WERE TIGHT AND CARBON BUILDUP WAS NOTED ON THE VALVE STEMS ## Factual narrative On June 13, 1993, at approximately 1240 central daylight time, a Reims Cessna FA 150K, N922SZ, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Willis, Texas. The commercial pilot and one passenger did not receive injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross country flight. Interviews conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector with the pilot and the Pilot Operator Report revealed the following information. During cruise at approximately 1,500 feet MSL and approximately four miles west of the Conroe, Texas, airport, a partial power loss occurred. The pilot decided to make an off airport landing. The surrounding terrain was dominated by woodlands and numerous traffic was along the available highways. The pilot made a visual pattern from 1,200 feet MSL to a field. During the full flap final approach at approximately 100 feet above the ground, the pilot saw a fence along the landing area. The pilot made a descending turn away from the fence and during the flare the airplane dropped to the ground, rolled approximately 200 feet in the wet field when the nose gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest inverted. A review of the maintenance records by a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector and the investigator in charge revealed the following information. The engine was removed from a damaged airframe and placed into unpreserved storage for a period of time. The engine was installed on the current airframe S/N 0047 on May 1, 1993. On that date, records indicated the total time on the engine was 1458 hours and 445.0 hours since a top overhaul. A compression check for cylinder number three was 75 and cylinder number four was 74. The airplane reportedly had flown 2.6 hours since the last annual inspection on May 1, 1993. The airplane was released to the owner. A subsequent teardown of the engine by a mechanic revealed the following information. The compression on cylinder number three was zero. The number three cylinder exhaust valve was stuck. The number three cylinder intake valve and the number four cylinder intake valve and exhaust valve were tight. The number three and number four valve stems showed carbon buildup. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N922SZ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N922SZ-2015-05-21), registration cancelled 2015-05-21, S/N 0047, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Reims Aviation CESSNA FA 150K (CESSNA FA) - Registry model: [Reims CESSNA FA150K](https://openairdocs.org/model/reims-cessna-fa150k) (registry code 7530129) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0047 - Engines: Rolls-Royce O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Miller, Edward J. - Registered owner: Miller, Edward J. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic - Last inspection: Annual, May 10, 1993, 3 hours before - Departed: CXO, CONROE, TX - Destination: DWH, TOMBALL, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 866 total, 108 in this make and model, 765 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 3 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 13,000 ft broken - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: IAH, 40 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 19930613018069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930613018069A), Jun 13, 1993: Cessna 150K, Conroe, TX, Substantial damage. Lost power near destination. Nosed over landing. Engine installed from wreck. Bad valves poor compression and other ## Other investigations on N922SZ (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 FTW03LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA115), Mar 23, 2003: Cessna FA150K (N922SZ), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The in-flight separation of the elevator trim tab. 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.