Accident Summary
On September 26, 2017, about 2030 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, registration N53393, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power after takeoff from Barrow County Airport (WDR) in Winder, Georgia. The private pilot, who owned and operated the aircraft, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions, and no flight plan was filed.
According to the pilot, the airplane had been parked for an extended period and was being prepared for an annual inspection that was nearly four years overdue. The day before the accident, the pilot charged the battery and ran the engine for about 30 minutes. On the day of the flight, he performed a preflight inspection, measured fuel levels in each tank, sampled the fuel tanks and fuel strainer for contaminants, and ran the engine for 5 to 7 minutes with no anomalies noted.
The pilot taxied, completed before-takeoff checks, and departed from runway 31. When the airplane reached about 200 ft above ground level, the engine sputtered and then stopped producing power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field beyond the departure end of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration third-class medical certificate was issued on September 25, 2013. He estimated a total flight experience of 700 hours, with 300 hours in the accident airplane make and model.
The airplane was manufactured in 1979 and had accrued about 1,875.1 total aircraft hours. Its most recent annual inspection was completed on November 6, 2012, at 1,864.4 total aircraft hours.
Weather conditions at WDR at 2035 included clear skies, calm wind, temperature 25°C, dew point 20°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of mercury.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed that all major components were present. Both wings were substantially damaged. The left wing fuel tank was breached by impact and contained no fuel; the right tank was intact and contained about 8 gallons of fuel. The gascolator was drained, yielding clear water in the first 4 ounces and a mixture of water and fuel in the remaining 4 ounces.
The carburetor had separated from the engine and was reattached with an adhesive to facilitate an operational check. An external fuel tank was connected to the carburetor, and the engine was started using the airplane's battery. It started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption. A magneto check was performed satisfactorily, and the engine was shut down using the airplane's controls.