Accident Details
On July 5, 2014, at approximately 1830 central daylight time, a Cessna C152 airplane, registration N49785, experienced a structural failure during cruise flight. The aircraft was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight, with a commercial pilot and a private pilot on board. Neither occupant was injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage due to a fracture of the right wing's rear spar.
Flight
The flight originated from Graham Municipal Airport (RPH) in Graham, Texas, with a planned destination of Denton Municipal Airport (DTO) in Denton, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. While cruising at 3,500 feet mean sea level, approximately 10 to 15 nautical miles west of the destination, a loud "boom" was heard by both pilots. The private pilot, who was flying from the right seat, reported the noise. The commercial pilot, seated in the left seat, then took over flight controls but noted no anomalies in aircraft handling or performance. The flight continued to Denton Municipal Airport and landed without further incident.
Discovery of Damage
During a post-flight inspection, the pilots discovered a hole in the top of the right wing near the fuel cap. Further examination revealed a fracture in the right wing's rear spar. The damage was subsequently assessed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspector.
Examination Findings
The FAA inspector reported that a "corrosion crack" was present at the location where the right wing's rear spar failed. Photographs provided by the FAA depicted a compression fracture of the upper aft portion of the rear spar, located about 1 foot outboard of the wing root. Surface corrosion was visible at the fracture site in the photographs. The lower portion of the spar remained intact. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge did not examine the fracture.