Overview
On February 24, 2016, at about 1615 eastern standard time, a privately owned and operated Cessna 152, registration N6449P, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a road in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that originated about 1 hour 5 minutes earlier from North Perry Airport (HWO), Hollywood, Florida. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, the engine's valves were adjusted 1 week before the accident in an effort to address repeated engine performance issues, which manifested as a rough running engine followed by partial loss of power, typically occurring between 10 and 45 minutes into a flight. The pilot performed a full preflight check and reported everything was normal. After departure, he orbited the airport for about 45 minutes, noting no engine discrepancies. He elected to continue flying over the airport to break in the piston rings. At about 1 hour 5 minutes into the flight, while flying over the southwest corner of the airport, the engine began to run rough. He proceeded to the north side of the airport to sequence for landing on runway 19L. While operating with the mixture full rich and engine at 2,250 rpm, the engine "totally dropped out," but oil temperature and pressure were normal. Adding power did not restore response, and the engine operated "pretty much at idle." He declared an emergency with HWO air traffic control tower. While on final approach, he realized he could not reach the intended runway and attempted a forced landing to a road. During descent, the left wing contacted a utility pole, and the airplane impacted the ground, shearing off the nose landing gear.
FAA Inspector Observations
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported the accident site was about 0.3 nautical mile due north of the approach end of runway 19L. The airplane was moved from the road and secured at HWO but was not examined before being sold about 2 months after the accident.
Post-Accident Examination
The airplane was purchased by an individual who had a mechanic troubleshoot the loss of engine power. The mechanic found an insect nest in the left fuel vent line between the opening and check valve. Further troubleshooting included checking fuel supply and magneto timing, then removing the engine. The airplane was subsequently relocated to another airport.
Several months after the accident, FAA airworthiness inspectors examined the airplane and engine. All valve gaps were between 0.007 and 0.009 inch, within limits per Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1068A. Because a run-out test of the crankshaft flange had not been performed and the engine had been previously removed, an engine run was not conducted. Rotation of the propeller showed crankshaft, camshaft, and valve train continuity. Thumb suction and compression were noted in each cylinder. The magnetos produced spark at all spark plugs and were timed 25 degrees before top dead center (BTDC), while the engine data plate specifies 20 degrees BTDC. No defects were found with P-leads, terminals, or spark plugs, though Nos. 3 and 4 lower plugs were wet with oil. No blockage of the fuel vent crossover line, air induction, or exhaust systems was noted; vented fuel caps functioned normally. The propeller had one blade tip bent aft about 90 degrees with coarse spanwise scratches on the cambered side, and the opposite blade bent forward about 90 degrees with coarse chordwise scratches on the non-cambered side; gouges were noted on the leading edge of the bent-forward blade. Because the engine had been removed, relocated, and temporarily installed, no fuel was found in the carburetor, but the fuel line to the carburetor contained fuel.
Weather Conditions
A special surface observation taken at HWO about 5 minutes after the accident reported temperature 28°C and dew point 20°C. According to FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, based on these readings, conditions were favorable for serious icing at glide engine power settings.