# NTSB NYC98LA037: Cessna A152, N758YR, Moriches, NY, December 2, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 1, 1997, 19:00 local (Dec 2, 1997, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Moriches, NY - Coordinates: 40.800617, -72.820617 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8006&lon=-72.8206&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 28, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39508 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC98LA037 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39508/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA037 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power 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) - nonmechanical, cruise - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - pole ## Analysis The instructor preflighted the airplane and measured the fuel quantity with a calibrated stick, with 8 gallons in one tank, and 7 gallons in the other tank. After takeoff, the airplane had been cruising at 2,700 feet for about 1 hour when the instructor reported that they lost all or most engine power. The engine backfired 4 or 5 times and all attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. The instructor performed a forced landing to a parking lot and the airplane's left wing struck a light pole. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed that one wing fuel tank was ripped open, but neither wing fuel tank contained fuel and there was no odor of fuel on the ground. Refueling records revealed that after the airplane had been refueled to 20 total gallons, it was flown about 8/10 hours before the accident flight. The average fuel consumption of the engine had been 6.8 gallons per hour. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, the conditions at the time of the accident were conducive for 'serious icing at cruise power.' ## Factual narrative On December 1, 1997, at 1900 eastern standard time, a Cessna A152, N758YR, was substantially damaged during a forced landing and collision with a light pole near Moriches, New York. The certificated flight instructor and private pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at the Francis S. Gabreski Airport (FOK), New York, about 1745. No flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was to provide the private pilot with an area familiarization and begin "a week-long biennial flight review." The instructor preflighted the airplane and measured the fuel quantity with a calibrated stick. He measured 8 gallons of fuel in one tank, and about 7 gallons in the other tank. The instructor stated that after cruising at 2,700 feet for about 1 hour, "...we lost all or most engine power output. All attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. The engine backfired 4 or 5 times after that." He tuned in the Brookhaven Airport frequency and turned on the runway light. He further stated, "I decided that I could not make the runway 33 fighting strong winds, and I turned toward a well lighted parking lot...turning short base I saw high trees on the west side of the site and elected to land on the east side which turned out to be a narrow road." During the final approach the airplane's left wing struck a light pole and the instructor then "lost control." According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, examination of the airplane revealed that one wing fuel tank was ripped open, but neither wing fuel tank contained fuel and there was no odor of fuel on the ground. The FAA Inspector also stated that one of the police officers that initially responded to the accident, also a pilot, reported no odor of fuel at the scene. Examination of the propeller revealed no rotational scoring on the blades. The instructor reported that the airplane's fuel consumption was about 5.5 gallons per hour, and that of the 26 gallon fuel capacity, 24.5 gallons were useable. The instructor provided a refueling summary of the accident airplane, which included Hobbs and engine tachometer hours, and the number of gallons added during the past 32 hours of operations. The summary did not include any dates; however, the instructor stated that this was the current refueling record of the airplane. Hand written notes on the summary revealed that most refuelings did not fill the tanks up, but refueled the airplane to 18, 19, or 20 gallons. At a Tach time of 48.9, the fuel tanks were filled. The next refueling of the tanks to a full level occurred at a Tach time of 56.6. During the 7.7 hours, 52.9 gallons of fuel were added. When divided out, this provided a rate of 6.87 gallons per hour (GPH). According to the summary, the last refueling occurred at a Tach time of 66.1, where the airplane was refueled to a total of 20 gallons. At the time of the accident, the approximate Tach time was 68.0. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, the conditions at the time of the accident were conducive for "serious icing at cruise power." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N758YR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N758YR-1998-09-11), registration cancelled 1998-09-11, S/N A1521016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna A152 - Registry model: [Cessna A152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a152) (registry code 2071836) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: A1521016 - Airframe hours: 4868 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-N2C 108 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Daedalus Flight School - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Utility - Departed: FOK, WESTHAMPTON BCH, NY - Airport: HWV, Brookhaven ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 8,200 total, 26 in this make and model, 8,000 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 330° at 15 knots, gusting 25 - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: FOK, 9 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 19971201035909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971201035909A), Dec 1, 1997: Cessna A152, Shirley, NY, Substantial damage. (Tty) acft departed for a sightseeing flight, loss of power/eng. Landed short on louis ave, east moriches, NY. (.4)the instructor preflighted the airplane and… ## Other investigations on N758YR (1) 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. - [NTSB NYC87LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC87LA028), Oct 31, 1986: Cessna 152 (N758YR), Linden, NJ, substantial damage 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.