Incident Overview
On September 29, 2013, a Cessna 152 aircraft experienced an in-flight emergency that necessitated an off-airfield landing. The event was classified as an incident by the State Commission for Investigation of Aviation Accidents (PKBWL). The flight originated from Radom-Piastów Airport (EPRP) with a planned route to Opoczno and Końskie before returning to the departure point.
Flight Progression
The aircraft departed at 12:40 local time, carrying an instructor pilot and a tourist pilot. The objective of the flight was to conduct a flying technique check for the tourist pilot. Weather conditions were favorable, with a cloud base at 2,000 feet and visibility of 8 kilometers. The flight proceeded without issue until approximately 13:15, when the crew observed vibrations originating from the engine while cruising at 1,800 feet above Końskie.
Emergency Response
As the vibrations persisted and engine RPM began to decline, the pilots initiated an emergency landing procedure in a nearby field. During a turn prior to touchdown, at an altitude of 100 to 120 meters, the engine shut down completely and the propeller stopped. The aircraft touched down safely in a relatively flat harvested grain field in Modliszewice, located about 3 kilometers northwest of Końskie, at 13:20. Neither the aircraft nor the occupants sustained damage or injuries.
Investigation Findings
Post-incident inspections revealed damage to cylinder number 3. Material analysis of the piston indicated a fracture resulting from both fatigue and sudden failure. The investigation concluded that the crack formed due to exceeding allowable operational stresses, likely caused by high friction between the piston and cylinder wall. This condition may have been exacerbated by insufficient oil lubrication on the working surface. No maintenance irregularities were found in the aircraft's documentation, and the oil level remained above the minimum permissible limit.