Incident Overview
On February 18, 2009, at about 1000 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 152, registration N48761, was substantially damaged during a forced landing shortly after takeoff from Turlock Municipal Airport, Turlock, California. The airplane, registered to and operated by KS Aviation, Inc., of Atwater, California, was conducting a local instructional flight under visual meteorological conditions in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plan was filed.
Sequence of Events
The flight instructor reported that he and the student pilot were performing a series of practice touch-and-go landings. During the initial climb following the fourth landing, at about 100 feet above ground level (agl), the engine lost power. The flight instructor assumed control, verified the mixture was fully enriched and the fuel shutoff valve was in the on position, executed a right turn of approximately 50 degrees, and initiated a forced landing in a rough, soft field. During the landing roll, the nose wheel dug into the soft terrain, causing the airplane to nose over and come to rest inverted.
Damage and Examination
The airplane was examined by the operator, revealing that the vertical stabilizer and rudder were crushed, the firewall was bent, and the propeller was damaged. After recovery to a hangar at Turlock Airport, an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic employed by the operator conducted further examination. The mechanic reported that the wings were removed during recovery, but the fuel lines were capped. Fuel drained from the wing tanks showed no water. Examination of the engine revealed that the bottom spark plugs of cylinders number one and four exhibited "evidence of water." Additionally, the mechanic found water and fuel in the fuel sump, although the water "was not high enough to reach the screen."
Engine Run and Weather Conditions
To perform an engine run, the mechanic replaced the damaged propeller and jury-rigged a fuel supply using fuel drained from the airplane. The engine was started and run at various speeds with no anomalies noted. The nearest weather reporting station, Merced Municipal Airport (MCE), located 15 nautical miles southeast, reported at 0953 a temperature of 9 degrees Celsius and a dew point of 6 degrees Celsius. Plotting these values on a carburetor ice probability chart indicated conditions conducive to serious icing at any power setting.
Operator's Statement
The operator's chief pilot stated that the company believed "the engine stoppage was the result of carb ice." He further noted that their "procedures for operations include the proper application of carb heat," and these procedures would be reviewed with their instructors and students.