LAX05LA087

The student pilot reported that the airplane was in a climb when the engine began to run rough, and the engine rpm decreased slightly. Attempts to restore engine power by applying the carburetor heat and switching magnetos were unsuccessful, and the engine rpm continued to decay. The student pilot made an off-airport forced landing, during which the airplane collided with trees, sustaining substantial damage. Postaccident inspection disclosed mechanical damage consistent with foreign object damage on a piston face and cylinder head.

On January 6, 2005, about 1100 Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 152, N7332L, collided with trees during a forced landing near Hana, Hawaii. Maui Aviators LLC was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country instructional flight departed Hana about 1045 with a planned destination of Kahului, Hawaii. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The student pilot submitted a written statement. He departed Hana, and was climbing through 2,100 feet mean sea level (msl) for 2,500 feet. He leaned the mixture. As he climbed through 2,200 feet, the engine began to run rough, the cowling began to vibrate, and he noticed a drop from 2,300 to 2,200 rpm (revolutions per minute) on the tachometer.

The student pilot verified that the fuel lever was in the ON position. He noted that the oil pressure was in the green arc, temperature was at the 1/4 gauge mark, and the throttle was at the full power setting. He pulled the carburetor heat on, and noted that the engine speed dropped to 2,100 rpm. The engine continued to run rough, and the engine speed indication dropped to 1,950 rpm.

About 1 minute later he turned the carburetor heat off. He checked the right magneto, and noted no rpm drop. He checked the left magneto, and the engine quit. He turned the magneto switch to BOTH; the engine began producing power, but continued to run rough. He began a turn back to Hana, and was maintaining 2,000 feet.

The pilot notified Maui traffic that he was experiencing engine troubles. He rechecked that the circuit breakers were in, and scanned the gauges. He adjusted the mixture to full rich, and noticed a drop in rpm. He leaned the engine for best rpm, and the engine speed began dropping.

The pilot looked for a field along the coast where he could land. The engine rpm dropped to 1,800 rpm. He selected 20 degrees of flaps, and set the airspeed at 60 knots. He broadcast that he would be landing in a field about 1 mile east of Wailua Point. He overflew the field from west to east at 400 feet, and set up for landing. On his base turn the engine stopped producing power. He thought that he was high on final, and landed in the last 1/5 of the field. The airplane bounced, and then touched down again at a fence by the tree line at the edge of the field. The airplane came to rest about 15 feet into the brush.

The pilot shut off the ignition and fuel, and broadcast that he was on the ground and uninjured. He secured the master switch, removed personal items, and exited the airplane. He noted no fuel leaks. He entered an unoccupied home and notified authorities.

The operator examined the engine under the supervision of an FAA airworthiness inspector. Maintenance technicians removed the valve covers, and rotated the engine. They removed the number 4 cylinder, and noted that there was mechanical damage on the piston face and internal cylinder head. They found no debris in the oil filter.