# NTSB LAX94LA324: Cessna 150M, N714GV, Mettler, CA, August 16, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 15, 1994, 21:35 local (Aug 16, 1994, 04:35 UTC) - Place: Mettler, CA - Coordinates: 35.149059, -119.059654 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1491&lon=-119.0597&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 12, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28829 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX94LA324 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28829/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94LA324 ## Probable cause a loss of engine power due to inadequate and improper maintenance procedures and practices. A factor in the accident was the dark night lighting conditions which inhibited the pilot's ability to select a suitable forced landing area. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - exhaust system,baffle - deteriorated (cause) - maintenance,replacement - not performed, company maintenance personnel (cause) - exhaust system,stack - blocked(partial) (cause) - maintenance,installation - improper, company maintenance personnel (cause) - ignition system,spark plug - worn (cause) - maintenance,replacement - not performed, company maintenance personnel (cause) - ignition system,magneto - incorrect (cause) - maintenance,installation - improper, company maintenance personnel (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - wire,transmission ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF POWER WITH A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE TO GROUND CONTROLLERS AND WAS GIVEN A RADAR VECTOR TOWARD A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP, BUT HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A NIGHT FORCED LANDING IN THE CENTER MEDIAN OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO FOUND THAT THE RIGHT HAND HEAT EXCHANGER INTERNAL BAFFLING WAS DETERIORATED, ALLOWING STAINLESS STEEL MATERIAL TO LOOSEN AND EXIT OUT THE EXHAUST PIPE. IN THE SAME SECTION OF EXHAUST PIPE, A 1/4-INCH BOLT WAS INSTALLED TO RETAIN THE PIPE ON THE EXHAUST ASSEMBLY. THE BOLT WAS FOUND TO BE A NONSTANDARD INSTALLATION AND PROTRUDED 1/2 INCH INTO THE PIPE FORMING A RESTRICTION WHICH COULD COLLECT PIECES OF THE LOOSE BAFFLING MATERIAL. THE NUMBER 1 ENGINE CYLINDER WAS CRACKED ON THE EXHAUST SIDE OF THE HEAD. ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE WORN. THE RIGHT HAND MAGNETO WAS AN INCOMPATIBLE MODEL WITH THE CONTINENTAL O-200 SERIES ENGINES AND COULD NOT BE TIMED TO THE ENGINE. ## Factual narrative On August 15, 1994, at 2135 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N714GV, collided with power lines during an attempted forced landing near Mettler, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss-of-engine power during cruise. The aircraft was rented from the operator for a personal cross- country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the night operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at Bakersfield, California, on the day of the accident at 2110 as a cross- country flight to San Diego, California. In a Mayday radio call to the Bakersfield Air Traffic Control Tower, the pilot reported a loss of power with a rough running engine. The pilot was given a radar vector toward a private airstrip, but he had insufficient altitude to make the runway. The pilot attempted to make a night forced landing in the center median of an interstate highway and collided with power lines. The aircraft was examined on August 18th by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector from the Fresno, California, Flight Standards District Office. In his report of the examination, the inspector noted that the right hand heat exchanger internal baffling was deteriorated, allowing stainless steel material to loosen and exit out the exhaust pipe. In the same section of exhaust pipe, a 1/4-inch bolt was installed to retain the pipe on the exhaust assembly. The bolt was found to be a nonstandard installation and protruded 1/2 inch into the pipe forming a restriction. In addition to the exhaust system anomaly, the inspector noted that the number 1 engine cylinder was cracked on the exhaust side of the head. All spark plugs were worn. The right hand magneto was an incompatible model with the Continental O-200 series engines and could not be timed to the engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N714GV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N714GV-2015-05-21), registration cancelled 2015-05-21, S/N 15079173, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150M - Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15079173 - Airframe hours: 5000 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sorbi Flying Service - Registered owner: Belaid A. Gherebi - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 28, 1994, 92 hours before - Departed: BFL, BAKERSFIELD, CA - Destination: MYF, SAN DIEGO, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 446 total, 54 in this make and model, 356 as pilot in command, 138 in the last 90 days, 85 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 10° at 5 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: BFL, 22 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 19940815021599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940815021599A), Aug 15, 1994: Cessna 150M, Mettler, CA, Substantial damage. Power loss. Rough engine. Hit wires landing. Bogus parts blocked intake and exhaust. Cyl cracked. Plugs worn etc. 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.