Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 150J near Bixby, OK — 2016-04-21

Final reportCEN16LA162
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Date
2016-04-21
Location
Bixby, OK, USA
Airport
RVS
Aircraft
CESSNA 150J
Registration
N51242
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Descent

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined, as the fuel state of the airplane at the time of the accident could not be verified, and postaccident examination of the engine did not provide adequate information.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was relocating the recently-purchased airplane, and stated that he departed on the 3-hour flight with full fuel tanks, which provided an endurance of about 5 hours. During the descent to the destination airport, the pilot advanced the mixture control to full rich, applied carburetor heat, and began to retard the throttle; the engine then suddenly experienced a total loss of power. The pilot restarted the engine multiple times, but the engine would not sustain power. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing to a road, during which the airplane struck a sign, resulting in substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the wings had been removed for transport, and an unquantified amount of fuel was drained from the fuel tanks. The gascolator contained 2 to 3 ounces of fuel. The fuel line to the carburetor was removed and no fuel residue was observed. The carburetor was disassembled and the bowl contained about one ounce of fuel. The engine was rotated by hand and displayed continuity and compression throughout. Although a compression test revealed that the Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders displayed low compression, the test was conducted on a cold engine, which was contrary to manufacturer guidance and could have provided unreliable readings. No other anomalies were observed with the engine, and a definitive reason for the loss of power could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have opted for a pre-buy inspection before the flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 13 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents13

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