Incident Summary
On February 17, 2009, at approximately 1630 central standard time, a Cessna 150L single-engine airplane, registration N747KA, experienced a partial loss of engine power while maneuvering near Grayslake, Illinois. The pilot elected to conduct a precautionary landing on a frozen lake, which was completed without incident. The airplane was not damaged, and neither the airline transport pilot nor the passenger sustained injuries.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The airplane was operated by Palwaukee Flyers and registered to Flight Center at Service Aviation, Inc., Wheeling, Illinois. The pilot had rented the aircraft from Palwaukee Flyers at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) in Wheeling. The local flight departed PWK at 1610. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Engine and Maintenance History
The aircraft was powered by a Continental O-200A48 engine. According to the operator, the engine experienced a problem with the number one cylinder. Review of the engine logbooks showed the most recent 100-hour inspection occurred on February 6, 2009, at a tachometer time of 9,584.1 hours. At the time of the incident, the engine had accumulated 3,429.2 hours since major overhaul. Teledyne Continental Service Information Letter SIL98-9 specifies a time between overhaul of 1,800 hours or 12 years for the O-200A engine. Teledyne Continental Motors records indicated the engine was remanufactured at the factory in 1993. Because Palwaukee Flyers operates under Part 91, they were not required to comply with manufacturers' recommended maintenance instructions under Federal regulations.
Engine Examination and Cause
Subsequent examination of the engine by a repair facility revealed that the intake valve on the number 1 cylinder had fractured. The cause of the failure could not be determined.
Related Incident
During an investigation of another accident involving the same operator, it was reported that on August 11, 2008, a student pilot and flight instructor in N747KA experienced effects of carbon monoxide poisoning during an instructional flight. An engine logbook entry dated August 14, 2008, indicated that the left front exhaust stack riser was removed and replaced at a tachometer time of 9,457.8 hours. This incident was not previously reported to the Federal Aviation Administration or the NTSB.