# NTSB MIA98LA066: Cessna 152, N94929, Ochopee, FL, February 1, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 1, 1998, 14:13 local (19:13 UTC) - Place: Ochopee, FL - Coordinates: 25.899097, -81.299217 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.8991&lon=-81.2992&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report February 15, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38449 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA066 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38449/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA066 ## Probable cause partial loss of engine power due to a fractured number 4 exhaust valve, which resulted in a forced landing; and the lack of sufficient airspeed to maneuver over power lines during an attempt to abort (go around from) an emergency landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with trees. Factors relating to the accident were: the owner/operator's failure to perform the engine manufacture's recommended overhaul at the recommended time, and high obstructions in the emergency landing area. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - fractured (cause) - maintenance,overhaul,major - not performed, company maintenance personnel (contributing factor) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - terrain condition - high obstruction(s) (contributing factor) - evasive maneuver - initiated, pilot in command - airspeed - inadequate (cause) - stall - inadvertent (cause) - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The pilot reported that at an altitude of about 2,000', the engine lost power & ran rough. He elected to land on a road that was perpendicular to a highway. The airplane was seen touching down on the road, but was heading towards the intersection of the road & highway, where the Sheriff's Department was working a motor vehicle accident. As the airplane approached the activity at the highway intersection, the pilot attempted to take off to avoid hitting vehicles & people. He entered a steep climb to avoid a power line, then the airplane descended nose first into trees. The pilot stated that where the airplane touched down on the road, it was 'slippery' which made it 'hard to stop.' As the airplane moved towards the highway, the pilot noticed that people were still on the road, so he tried to avoid hitting them by taking off & flying over the highway. The pilot said, '...unfortunately since we lost speed in the landing, we didn't have enough power and we stalled into the trees.' The engine was examined & partially torn down. The examination of the engine revealed that the #4 cylinder exhaust valve was broken off at the base of the stem & was found in the combustion chamber. The bottom part of the valve was retrieved from inside the muffler, along with pieces of the valve seat. Damage from the valve was found on the cylinder head & piston top. A hole was found in the top of the piston. Further examination of the broken valve stem revealed that it was pitted & corroded. In addition, the engine showed signs of having been operated at high temperatures for a considerable length of time. An external examination of the engine revealed corrosion on the exterior of the steel cylinder barrels. Paint on the cylinder heads was blistered & peeled. The ignition system harness was found worn & tattered. The engine log books revealed that the engine had been operated about 700 hours past the manufacture's recommended overhaul time. ## Factual narrative On February 1, 1998, about 1413 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N94929, owned by Gateway Aviation Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, impacted with trees near Ochopee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot was seriously injured and one passenger received minor injuries. The flight had originated from Opa Locka, Florida, at 1330. The pilot had refueled at Everglades City, Florida, and was en route back to Opa Locka. At an altitude of about 2,000 feet, the pilot reported that the engine lost power and ran rough. He elected to land on a road that was perpendicular to Highway 41. The airplane was seen touching down on the road, but was heading towards the intersection of the road and the highway where the Sheriff's Department was working a motor vehicle accident. As the airplane approached the activity at the highway intersection, the pilot attempted to take off to avoid hitting the vehicles and people. The airplane went nose high, turned 90 degrees to the left, and descended nose first into the trees. The pilot stated that at first he "...couldn't determine the cause of the engine roughness...we reached US41, but I noticed it was crowded...I tried to avoid US41...[and] I suddenly realized a small road. We tried to land there." In addition, he stated that when the airplane touched down on the road, it was "slippery" which made it "hard to stop." As the airplane moved towards the highway, the pilot noticed that the people were still on the road, so he tried to avoid hitting them by "lift[ing] the plane and over flew US41." The pilot said, "...unfortunately since we lost speed in the landing, we didn't have enough power and we stalled into the trees." The engine was examined on February 12, 1998, at a hanger at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, under the supervision of the NTSB investigator in charge. An examination and partial teardown of the engine revealed that the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve was broken off at the base of the stem and was found in the combustion chamber. The bottom part of the valve was retrieved from inside the muffler, along with pieces of the valve seat. Damage from the valve was found on the cylinder head and piston top. A hole was found in the top of the piston. Further examination of the broken valve stem revealed that it was pitted and corroded. According to the FAA inspector's statement, the engine showed "signs of having been operated at high temperatures for a considerable length of time." The external examination of the engine revealed corrosion on the exterior of the steel cylinder barrels. The paint on the cylinder heads was blistered and peeled. The ignition system harness was found worn and tattered. The engine log books revealed that the engine had been operated about 840 hours past the manufacture's recommended overhaul time. The manufacture's recommended time before overhaul was 2,400 hours ## Aircraft - Registration: [N94929](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94929-2000-06-14), registration cancelled 2000-06-14, S/N 15285814 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15285814 - Airframe hours: 7445 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-N2C 108 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gateway Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 13, 1998, 17 hours before - Departed: X01, EVERGLADES CITY, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 82 total, 82 in this make and model, 32 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 11 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: APF, 10 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 19980201002539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980201002539A), Feb 1, 1998: Cessna 152, Ochopee, FL, Substantial damage. Lost power. Overshot landing on road. Tried go around. Stalled into trees cylinder exahust valve broke. (-23) on February 1, 1998 about 1413 hrs eastern… 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.