# NTSB LAX07LA016: Cessna 152, N45929, Prunedale, CA, October 22, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 22, 2006, 07:41 local (14:41 UTC) - Place: Prunedale, CA - Coordinates: 36.7833333333333, -121.666666666667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7833&lon=-121.6667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 27, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: San Jose Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 64745 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX07LA016 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64745/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA016 ## Probable cause Total loss of engine power due to failure of connecting rod cap during cruise flight for undetermined reasons. ## 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, cruise - normal - engine assembly,connecting rod cap - failure - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - open field - Nose over, emergency landing ## Analysis According to the flight instructor, he and his student departed on the flight when, about halfway to their destination, the engine cowling and instrument panel began to shake violently. He adjusted the mixture setting and scanned the instruments and noted that the engine oil temperature and pressure were still indicating in the normal range. Shortly after that, the engine began shaking and then stopped entirely and gray smoke filled the cockpit. The flight instructor noted flames coming from the nose area of the aircraft and attempted to find a suitable landing site through the smoke and haze. The flight instructor elected to land in an agricultural field. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear, and as the nose wheel touched down it dug into the dirt and the airplane nosed over. When the instructor and student exited the airplane, they again observed a small fire near the front engine area, but it extinguished itself. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the engine was examined and a large hole was found on the bottom side of the engine crankcase between the number 1 and number 2 cylinders. A concentration of oil was found on the inside of the cowling at the same approximate location as the crankcase hole. FAA inspectors discovered that the number 1 connecting rod cap had separated from the connecting rod during engine operation. The reason for this occurrence is undetermined. ## Factual narrative On October 22, 2006, at 0741 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152 airplane, N45929, nosed over during a forced landing near Prunedale, California. A loss of engine power preceded the forced landing. The airplane was operated by United Flight Services of Watsonville, California, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as an instructional flight. The certified flight instructor sustained minor injuries and the student pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from Watsonville, California, about 25 minutes prior to the accident, and was destined for Salinas, California. According to the flight instructor, he and his student departed on the flight to Salinas when, about halfway to their destination, the engine cowling and instrument panel began to shake violently. He adjusted the mixture setting and scanned the instruments and noted that the engine oil temperature and pressure were still indicating in the normal range. Shortly after that, the engine began shaking and then stopped entirely and gray smoke filled the cockpit. The flight instructor noted flames coming from the nose area of the aircraft and attempted to find a suitable landing site through the smoke and haze. The flight instructor elected to land in an agricultural field. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear, and as the nose wheel touched down it dug into the dirt and the airplane nosed over. When the instructor and student exited the airplane, they again observed a small fire near the front engine area, but it extinguished itself. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the engine was examined and a large hole was found on the bottom side of the engine crankcase between the number 1 and number 2 cylinders. A concentration of oil was found on the inside of the cowling at the same approximate location as the crankcase hole. FAA inspectors discovered that the number 1 connecting rod cap had separated from the connecting rod during engine operation. The reason for this occurrence is undetermined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N45929](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N45929-2007-12-31), registration cancelled 2007-12-31, S/N 15282946, 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: 15282946 - Airframe hours: 11695.5 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: United Flight Services - Registered owner: Roger Fernandez - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 2006, 56.3 hours before - Departed: WVI, Watsonville, CA - Destination: SNS, Salinas, CA - Airport: Off Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 37; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 4,000 total, 800 in this make and model, 3,800 as pilot in command, 200 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 31; injuries: none; student, private; medical: class 3; last flight review August 1, 2005; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: SNS ## 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 20061022024699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061022024699A), Oct 22, 2006: Cessna 152, Castroville, CA, Destroyed. (-23) The pilot [privacy data omitted], pilot in command of Cessna N45929, stated ten minutes after departing watsonville airport, watsonville, CA the… 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.