- Date
- September 9, 2003, 09:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place
- Kissimmee, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5172BCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office 15
- FAA report
- 20030909031169A
- Case key
- 57898
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to inadequate maintenance.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The student pilot stated, after taking off, and at an altitude of about 200 to 300 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot made a 180-degree turn back to the airport, but was unable to reach the runway, and impacted with trees on the northwest corner of the airport. The FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated that several discrepancies were found during the postaccident examination of the engine. The shielding was separated on five of the eight ignition leads, the No. 2 cylinder ignition lead was misfiring into the shielding, and there was excessive play in the carburetor throttle shaft. The contacts on the distributor blocks of both magnetos were burned and worn, and the fuel screen was very dirty.
Factual narrative
On September 9, 2003, about 0905 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5172B, owned and operated by Orlando Flight Training Inc., lost engine power and impacted with trees during a forced landing, at the Kissimmee Airport, Kissimmee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The local instructional flight was conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane incurred substantial damage and the student pilot reported minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time.
The student pilot stated, after taking off, and at an altitude of about 200 to 300 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot made a 180-degree turn back to the airport, but was unable to reach the runway, and impacted with trees on the northwest corner of the airport.
The FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated that several discrepancies were found during the postaccident examination of the engine. The shielding was separated on five of the eight ignition leads, the No. 2 cylinder ignition lead was misfiring into the shielding, and there was excessive play in the carburetor throttle shaft. The contacts on the distributor blocks of both magnetos were burned and worn, and the fuel screen was very dirty.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5172B
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283788
- Airframe hours
- 9,273
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, 117 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Orlando Flight Training
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 29, 2003 · 13.2 hours before
- Departed
- ISM · Kissimmee, FL
- Airport
- ISM · Kissimmee, runway 330, 6,000 × 100 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KISM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.