Accident Overview
On June 22, 2008, at 0915 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, registration N757HA, collided with a fence during an emergency landing near Leesburg, Florida. The airplane was substantially damaged. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries and the passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed from Orlando North Airpark, Zellwood, Florida at 0900. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that approximately 12 minutes into the flight, after climbing through 1,900 feet, the engine rpm began to decrease. He applied carburetor heat, but the engine "froze" seconds later. He then conducted an emergency landing, during which the airplane struck a fence post.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a Teledyne Lycoming engine representative examined the airplane. The engine exhibited frontal impact damage. The carburetor and engine controls were impact damaged. The engine was removed from the airframe for detailed examination.
Examination of the engine showed exterior corrosion and hardened fluid hoses. The spark plugs, valve covers, and accessory components were removed and examined with a borescope. The top end components showed no anomalies. The combustion chambers and spark plugs displayed a gray color. Removal of the valve covers revealed heavy rust deposits on the interior surfaces. The oil suction screen was free of debris. The oil filter contained small fine ferrous metallic particles within the filter element and in the remaining oil.
Further disassembly revealed the rear accessory case had no anomalies. Internal gear train continuity was confirmed. The oil pump gears were intact, but dirt particles and score marks were observed on the interior of the pump housing. The oil sump contained the No. 3 connecting rod detached from the crankshaft with heat damage. The No. 3 rod cap was broken and sustained heat damage. Associated rod bolt fragments showed overload signatures. Extruded remains of bearing material from the No. 3 connecting rod were also found in the oil sump. The cam followers exhibited spalling wear, and the mating surfaces of the center main crankshaft support web showed signs of fretting.
Maintenance History
Review of maintenance records indicated that the engine was field overhauled on May 21, 2001, at a total time of 3,552.6 hours. During the annual inspection on April 18, 2008, the total time since overhaul was recorded as 1,036.8 hours.