13 Feb 2014: CESSNA 150 - G

13 Feb 2014: CESSNA 150 - G (N3882J) — Unknown operator

No fatalities • Galion, OH, United States

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power on climbout for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

On February 19, 2014, about 1130 eastern standard time (EST), a Cessna 150G airplane, N3882J, made a forced landing following a total loss of engine power after takeoff from the Galion Municipal Airport (GQQ), Galion, Ohio. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

In a statement provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported no abnormalities or fuel contaminates were observed during the preflight airplane inspection. After engine start-up, the pilot allowed the airplane engine temperature to rise before taxiing due to the cold ambient temperature. The pre-departure run-up was normal and he noted the takeoff was smooth until about 400-500 feet above ground level when the engine "misfired." The pilot stated he pulled the carburetor heat, checked the primer was in the "locked" position and verified the fuel selector valve was in the "on" position. The engine then experienced a total loss of power. Unable to restore engine power, he made a forced landing into an agricultural field. During the forced landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and engine mounts.

The airplane was a two seat, high wing, tricycle landing gear, airplane which was manufactured in 1967. It was powered by a Continental Motors O-200 engine. An FAA inspector conducted a postaccident examination of the airplane engine and fuel system. The examination revealed engine continuity of the crankshaft, lifters and valves. Compression was present in all four cylinders. There were also sparks observed in all 8 ignition wires. Fuel samples were taken from the fuel lines, carburetor, and gascolator with no visible signs of water. The airframe fuel sump was drained and a "few drops" of water were observed.

At the direction of the NTSB IIC, the carburetor was opened and no anomalies were observed with the carburetor float. In addition, the fuel was tested with water indicating paste to detect water contamination. The water indicating paste did not reflect water contaminates in the fuel.

The closest weather reporting facility was the Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport, Mansfield, Ohio. At 1052, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) from the Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport, 12 miles northeast of the accident site, reported wind from 030 degrees at 5 knots; sky condition, clear; visibility, 9 statute miles; temperature 21 degrees F; dewpoint 7 degrees F; barometric pressure 29.84 inches of mercury.

According to a carburetor icing probability chart, an airplane operating in the ambient conditions near the accident site could expect no carburetor icing while at cruise or glide power.

Contributing factors

  • Contributed to outcome

Conditions

Weather
VMC, wind 030/05kt, vis 9sm

Loading the flight search…

What you can do on Flight Finder

  • Search flights between any two airports with live fares.
  • By aircraft — pick a plane model (e.g. Boeing 787, Airbus A350) and see every route it flies from your origin.
  • Route map — click any airport worldwide to explore its destinations, or draw a radius to find nearby airports.
  • Global aviation safety — aviation accident database, 5,200+ records since 1980, with map and rankings by aircraft and operator.
  • NTSB safety feed — recent U.S. aviation accidents and incidents from the official NTSB CAROL database, updated daily.

Frequently asked questions

How do I search flights by aircraft type on FlightFinder?

Pick an aircraft model — Boeing 737, Airbus A320, A380, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and more — enter your origin airport, and FlightFinder shows every route that plane flies from there with live fares.

Which aircraft types can I filter by?

We support Boeing 737/747/757/767/777/787, the full Airbus A220/A319/A320/A321/A330/A340/A350/A380 family, Embraer E170/E175/E190/E195, Bombardier CRJ and Dash 8, and the ATR 42/72 turboprops.

Is FlightFinder free to use?

Search and schedules are free. Pro ($4.99/month, $39/year, or $99 one-time lifetime) unlocks the enriched flight card — on-time stats, CO₂ per passenger, amenities, live gate & weather — plus My Trips with push alerts.

Where does the route data come from?

Live schedules come from Amadeus, AeroDataBox and Travelpayouts. Observed routes (which aircraft actually flew a given city pair) are crowdsourced from adsb.lol ADS-B data under the Open Database License.