Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Loss of Engine Power (Total): Cessna 162 Skycatcher, N70252; accident occurred November 16, 2018 near Macon County Airport (1A5), Franklin, North Carolina

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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Charlotte, North Carolina

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

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

https://registry.faa.gov/N70252



Location: Franklin, NC
Accident Number: ERA19TA051
Date & Time: 11/16/2018, 1015 EST
Registration: N70252
Aircraft: Cessna E162
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On November 16, 2018, about 1015 eastern standard time, a Cessna 162, N70252, operated by Lanier Flight Center, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a field near Franklin, North Carolina. The sport pilot received minor injuries. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL), Gainesville, Georgia, about 0900. The flight was destined to Macon County Airport (1A5), Franklin, North Carolina.

The sport pilot reported that near the destination airport, he reduced engine rpm from 2,350 to 2,200 and began a slow descent from cruise altitude of 3,500 ft mean sea level (msl) to traffic pattern altitude of 2,800 ft msl. The carburetor heat was not on at that time and about 2 minutes later, he became aware that the engine had lost all power without any roughness or sputtering. The sport pilot positioned the carburetor heat to on, mixture to full rich, and confirmed the fuel shut-off valve was not engaged; however, he was unable to restart the engine. During a forced landing to a field, the right wing struck a fence and the airplane came to rest inverted. The sport pilot further stated that after the accident, the operator inspected the airplane. Adequate fuel remained onboard and was absent of contamination. Additionally, no preimpact mechanical malfunctions were identified with the airframe or engine. The operator subsequently attempted a test-run of the engine on the airframe and the engine started and ran normally. The sport pilot added that he did not have a full understanding of the potentially subtle nature of carburetor ice.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed damage to the right wing and fuselage. The inspector confirmed that at his request, the operator completed a successful test-run of the engine on the airframe.

The recorded weather at the destination airport, at 1020, included a temperature of 5° C and a dewpoint of 0° C. Review of an FAA carburetor icing chart for the given conditions revealed "Serious icing (cruise power)." Review of a pilot operating handbook for the make and model airplane revealed "…Descent…5. CARB HEAT Control Know – ON (as required)…." 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Sport Pilot
Age: 64, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
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: Sport Pilot
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/13/2018
Flight Time:   159 hours (Total, all aircraft), 159 hours (Total, this make and model), 159 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 22 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 6 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N70252
Model/Series: E162 No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2011
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Special Light-Sport
Serial Number: 16200071
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 09/26/2018, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1320 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 32 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 1360 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-200
Registered Owner: Lanier Equipment Leasing Llc
Rated Power: 100 hp
Operator: Lanier Flight Center
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: 1A5, 2034 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 7 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1020 EST
Direction from Accident Site: 345°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Calm /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.13 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 5°C / 0°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Gainesville, GA (GVL)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Franklin, NC (1A5)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0900 EST
Type of Airspace: 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 35.101944, -83.385278 (est)









MACON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Macon County Emergency Services responded Friday morning to a plane crash on the east side of U.S. 441/Highway 23/Georgia Road, just south of the visitors' center.

MACON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Macon County Emergency Services responded Friday morning to a plane crash on the east side of U.S. 441/Highway 23/Georgia Road, just south of the visitors' center.

"Obviously there is still an investigation underway into what happened, but the initial report was that there was perhaps engine failure. The pilot was attempting to make an emergency landing and ended up crashing into the field here next to the highway," said Warren Cabe, Macon County EMS director.

The plane went down around 10 a.m. and there were no serious injuries.

Pilot Doug Finner tells News 13 that he was able to get himself out of the cockpit after the plane flipped during the emergency landing, saying the seatbelt worked, and he was able to walk away with just a few minor injuries.

Finner says his single-engine rented Cessna Skycatcher, registered in Gainesville, Georgia, lost power to the engine, and he was forced to make an emergency landing in a cow pasture south of Franklin.

Highway 23 can be busy at times and is a common route for large trucks. Finner said he the plane bounced over four or five lanes while, luckily, no one was driving by.

He was trying to land in the field across the street, but, he says, when he realized the plane could clip a tree, he turned the plane and then bounced on one side of the road before the nose went into the embankment, on the other side, causing the plane to flip.

Finner was able to free himself from the upside down cockpit and only suffered a few cuts.

He left from Gainesville Georgia, destined for Macon County. He says he will soon head back to Georgia, and the plane will be towed.

The plane was a rental which Finner said he had flown on and off for the last year.

The FAA is investigating.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://wlos.com

2 comments:

  1. This would be the second Lanier Flight School aircraft to suffer an engine failure this year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I fly that plane every Sunday I just can't believe she stopped turning.

    ReplyDelete