Cessna C-152 Forced Landing in Podole-Górowa (SP-ULA)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On 13 October 2018, a Cessna C-152 aircraft was involved in an incident at the Łososina Dolna airfield. The flight was a training exercise for a 22-year-old student pilot, accompanied by a 47-year-old instructor. The planned route included intermediate landings at Krosno, Arłamów, and Rzeszów. The aircraft departed at 08:25 LMT. Approximately 11 minutes into the flight, while descending to 2,000 feet, the engine experienced severe vibrations. The instructor took control and attempted a restart, which failed. The engine subsequently stopped, leading to an emergency landing in an unprepared area at 08:37 LMT. Both occupants exited the aircraft without injury. ## Investigation Findings and Probable Cause The investigation was conducted by the user's commission under the supervision of the State Commission for Aviation Accident Investigation (PKBWL). Following the landing, the engine was removed and disassembled. Examinations revealed that the crankshaft had overheated, twisted, and deformed. The investigation determined that the failure originated in the third cylinder, where the bearing was worn and overheated. This led to the failure of the connecting rod foot and the rupture of the securing screws. The damaged connecting rod then struck the engine case, the piston, and the cylinder. The probable cause was identified as the melting of the bearing and the overheating of the connecting rod foot of the third cylinder, which resulted in the structural failure of the engine.