# NTSB NYC04LA090: Cessna 152, N4468V, Greenville, KY, March 21, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 21, 2004, 14:45 local (19:45 UTC) - Place: Greenville, KY - Coordinates: 37.17889, -87.156669 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1789&lon=-87.1567&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 58933 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04LA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58933/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04LA090 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power due to a total loss of engine oil for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a forced landing and subsequent collision with trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - fluid,oil - loss,total (cause) - fluid,oil - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis While on a solo cross-country flight, at 3,500 feet, the engine oil pressure began to drop. The engine then began to sputter, and subsequently lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, where the left and right wings struck small trees. The airplane came to rest in thick briar brush. Examination of the engine revealed that there was no oil remaining in the engine. Oil residue was observed streaking from the engine cowling area, rearward along the surface of the main fuselage. No ruptures or leaks were observed to the engine. Both the engine oil filler cap and dipstick were secured. Prior to departing on the on the flight, the pilot added 2 quarts of oil to the engine, which gave the engine a total of 4 quarts. ## Factual narrative On March 21, 2004, at 1445 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N4468V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after experiencing a loss of engine power while in cruise flight near Greenville, Kentucky. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated at the Bowling Green Airport, (BWG), Bowling Green, Kentucky, destined for the Kentucky Dam State Park Airport (M34), Gilbertsville, Kentucky. The instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he was conducting a solo cross-country flight, in an effort to obtain a fixed wing "add-on" to his commercial pilot certificate, which was valid only for helicopters. Prior to departing on the three-leg flight from Clarksville, Tennessee, the pilot added 2 quarts of oil to the engine, which gave the engine a total of 4 quarts. The flight proceeded to BWG uneventfully, landed, and subsequently departed for M34. While in cruise flight at 3,500 feet, the engine oil pressure began to drop. The engine then began to sputter, and subsequently lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, where the left and right wings struck small trees. The airplane came to rest in thick briar brush. Examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that there was no oil remaining in the engine. Oil residue was observed streaking from the engine cowling area, rearward along the surface of the main fuselage. No ruptures or leaks were observed to the engine. Both the engine oil filler cap and dipstick were secured. An FAA inspector further examined the engine on March 31, 2004, at a recovery facility in Atlanta, Georgia. The inspector noted that the entire lower half of the engine assembly, including the oil sump pan, was saturated with engine oil residue. There was also notable engine oil residue on the lower fuselage skin, protruding antennas, and the nose gear assembly. The inspector did not observe any oil residue on either the accessories mounted to the aft end of the engine, or the firewall. The engine filler cap was secured. No defects, leaks, ruptures, or cracks were observed on the engine. The pilot reported that he had about 700 hours of total flight experience, of which 15 were in fixed wing airplanes. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4468V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4468V-2014-10-27), registration cancelled 2014-10-27, S/N 15284752, built 1981 (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: 15284752 - Airframe hours: 4539 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 108 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Tenair LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: BWG, Bowling Green, KY - Destination: M34, Gilbertsville, KY - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review October 15, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 654 total, 14 in this make and model, 204 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,300 ft broken - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.40 inHg - Observed at: M21, 6 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 20040321003449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040321003449A), Mar 21, 2004: Cessna 152, Greenville, KY, Substantial damage. (-23) Cessna 152, N4468V, filed VFR flight plan (nashville, tenn (bna) via bowling green (bwg), Kentucky state park airport (M34), nashville tenn. Departed… 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.