Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Cessna 150L, N1567Q: Accident occurred June 29, 2016 near Atlanta Regional Airport / Falcon Field (KFFC), Atlanta, Georgia

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

http://registry.faa.gov/N1567Q



Location: Peachtree City, GA
Accident Number: ERA16LA235
Date & Time: 06/29/2016, 1930 EDT
Registration: N1567Q
Aircraft: CESSNA 150
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

Analysis 

The student pilot took off for the solo flight. At 400 ft above ground level, the engine sputtered and experienced a total loss of power. The student pilot conducted a forced landing to a golf course. During the rollout, the airplane clipped trees and struck a small berm, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear and substantial damage to the engine firewall.

Examination of the airplane revealed severe impact damage on the dome of the engine's No. 3 piston and the cylinder head. The exhaust valve was separated at the stem, and the intake valve was fractured. Fracture analysis of both valves and their associated fragments revealed a fatigue failure of the exhaust valve stem transition area at the valve head. The other fracture surfaces were consistent with overstress. The fatigue failure of the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve led to the total loss of engine power. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The fatigue failure of the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve, which resulted in a total loss of engine power at low altitude after takeoff. 

Findings

Aircraft
Recip engine power section - Damaged/degraded (Cause)

Environmental issues
Tree(s) - Contributed to outcome


Factual Information

On June 29, 2016, at 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N1567Q, experienced a total loss of engine power and was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from Atlanta Regional Airport (FFC), Peachtree City, Georgia. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the solo instructional flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that she performed the preflight inspection, engine start, run-up, and takeoff from runway 31 with no anomalies noted. At 400 ft above ground level, the engine "sputtered, and then stopped." The pilot selected a golf course for the forced landing, and touched down on a slightly rolling fairway lined with trees. During the rollout, the airplane clipped trees and struck a small berm, which collapsed the nose landing gear.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall. The engine was rotated by hand at the propeller. The magnetos produced spark at all eight spark plugs. A compression check was performed, and thumb compression was confirmed on all but the No. 3 cylinder.

The No. 3 cylinder was removed, and severe impact damage was noted on the dome of the piston and the cylinder head. The exhaust valve was separated at the stem, and the intake valve was fractured, with about 50 percent of the valve head separated. Pieces of the valve were recovered in the exhaust manifold. Both valves and their associated fragments were forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington, DC for examination.

Fracture analysis of the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve revealed fatigue failure of the valve stem transition area at the valve head. The remaining fracture surfaces observed on the valves were due to overstress.

The pilot held an FAA student pilot and third-class medical certificate, issued on December 22, 2015. She reported 41 total hours of flight experience, of which 38 were in the accident airplane.

The two-seat, single-engine, high-wing airplane was manufactured in 1971 and was equipped with a Continental O-200 series engine. The airplane had been operated for about 410 hours since its most recent annual inspection was completed on July 5, 2015, at 3,488 total airframe hours. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Student
Age: 17, Female
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 12/22/2015
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  41 hours (Total, all aircraft), 38 hours (Total, this make and model) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N1567Q
Model/Series: 150 L
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1971
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 15072867
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/05/2015, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1601 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 408 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3488 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: O-200 SERIES
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 100 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: FFC, 807 ft msl
Observation Time: 1953 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 310°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 29°C / 22°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Calm
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.93 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Peachtree City, GA (FFC)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Destination: Peachtree City, GA (FFC)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1930 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: ATLANTA RGNL FALCON FIELD (FFC)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 807 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry; Soft
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 33.373611, -84.584722 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA235
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, June 29, 2016 in Peachtree City, GA
Aircraft: CESSNA 150, registration: N1567Q
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On June 29, 2016, at 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N1567Q, experienced a total loss of engine power and was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from Atlanta Regional Airport (FFC), Peachtree City, Georgia. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the solo instructional flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that she performed the preflight inspection, engine start, run-up, and takeoff from runway 31 with no anomalies noted. At 400 feet above ground level, the engine "sputtered, and then stopped." The pilot selected a golf course for the forced landing, and touched down on a slightly rolling fairway lined with trees. During the rollout, the airplane clipped trees and struck a small berm, which collapsed the nose landing gear.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall. The engine was rotated by hand at the propeller. The magnetos produced spark at all eight spark plugs. A compression check was performed, and thumb compression was confirmed on all but the No. 3 cylinder.

The No. 3 cylinder was removed and severe impact damage was noted on the dome of the piston and the cylinder head. The exhaust valve was separated at the stem, and the intake valve was fractured, with about 50 percent of the valve head separated. Pieces of the valve were recovered in the exhaust manifold. The airplane and its engine were secured for a detailed examination at a later date.

The pilot held an FAA student pilot and third-class medical certificate, issued on December 22, 2015. She reported 41 total hours of flight experience, of which 38 were in the accident airplane.

The two-seat, single-engine, high-wing airplane was manufactured in 1971 and was equipped with a Lycoming O-200 series engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed on July 5, 2015, at 3,488 total airframe hours.

1 comment:

  1. Great job! This student pilot kept her head and executed well! Good job CFI!

    ReplyDelete