Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; FAA San Antonio FSDO; Houston, Texas
Aviation Accident Factual 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/N66786
Location: SINTON, TX
Accident Number: CEN18LA177
Date & Time: 03/07/2018, 1230 CDT
Registration: N66786
Aircraft: CESSNA 150M
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On March 7, 2018, about 1230 central daylight time, a Cessna 150M airplane, N66786, experienced a partial loss of engine power after takeoff and impacted terrain during a forced landing to a field near the Alfred C 'Bubba' Thomas Airport (T69), Sinton, Texas. The pilot and one passenger were not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight departed T69 about 1130 on a local flight.
The pilot reported that he conducted a local flight and returned to land at T69 and executed a touch-and-go landing to runway 32. After touching down and taking off again for another touch-and-go, the airplane's engine experienced a partial loss of engine power near the end of the runway. He was unable to gain altitude, so he turned to the right and landed in an open field. During the forced landing the airplane's engine mount was bent; otherwise the airplane appeared to be undamaged.
The pilot reported that he examined the airplane's carburetor and found that was full of carbon, and that the exhaust pipe was pitch black from carbon buildup. He stated that the carburetor was unable to properly regulate the fuel/air mixture due to excessive carbon buildup, corrosion in and on the main nozzle, and basic wear and tear, which caused the engine to flood and experience a partial loss of engine power. He stated that a review of the airplane's maintenance logbook showed that the carburetor had not been rebuilt since it was installed in 1974.
The pilot stated that a new rebuilt carburetor was installed on the engine and it now runs fine. The airplane recently had an annual maintenance inspection and he reported that "everything that may have caused the engine problem checked out okay."
Pilot Information
Certificate: Commercial
Age: 57, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/07/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 1100 hours (Total, all aircraft), 250 hours (Total, this make and model), 1100 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 98 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 23 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N66786
Model/Series: 150M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1974
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 15076279
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/01/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1601 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3727.6 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: O-200-A
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: CRP, 46 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 16 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1151 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 180°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 12000 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 11 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 50°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.37 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 17°C / 2°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Precipitation
Departure Point: Sinton, TX (T69)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Sinton, TX (T69)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1130 CDT
Type of Airspace:
Airport Information
Airport: Alfred C Thomas Airport (T68)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 48 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 32
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4323 ft / 55 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 28.038611, -97.542500
Clearly everything was not OK ! surely a large amount of carbon build up to that degree would have been detected during maintenance ? changing the carb is fine as a temporary fix but is the excess carbon still present and why was the engine running so rich ?
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