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NTSB Identification: LAX96LA151. The docket is stored in the (offline) NTSB Imaging System.

Accident occurred Sunday, March 31, 1996 at SACRAMENTO, CA

Aircraft: CESSNA 150L, registration: N5266Q

Injuries: 1 Serious



Event: 20001208X05441 Status: Final Report Approved On Friday, January 17, 1997



NTSB Preliminary Narrative (6120.19A)



On March 31, 1996, at 1554 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 150L, N5266Q, nosed over in soft marshy terrain following a forced landing

near Sacramento, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a total loss of power during cruise. The aircraft was operated by

American Aero Flying Club of Sacramento and was rented by the student pilot for a solo cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions

prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, sustained

serious injuries. The flight originated from Notomas airport in Sacramento on the day of the accident at 1115, and made en route stops at

Redding, Willows, and Davis/Woodland, California.



According to controllers at the Sacramento TRACON, the pilot called Mayday while the aircraft was descending through 2,000 feet. He reported

to the controller that he was losing power and going down. The aircraft landed in a marsh area and nosed over after the landing gear

encountered soft mud.



The operator reported that according to the recording hour meter onboard the aircraft it had flown 4.6 hours since departing the Notomas airport.

Fueling records at Redding disclosed that 9.6 gallons of 100LL were pumped into the aircraft at 1335. The pilot stated that after the fueling he

checked the tanks and found them to be completely full. Air traffic control tower tapes at Redding disclosed that the aircraft departed at 1345.

The times of arrival and departure from Willows and Davis/Woodland are unknown.



FAA inspectors responded to the accident site, and during the aircraft recovery operation performed a preliminary examination of the aircraft.

The fuel system was intact with no ruptures or breaks to any tank or line. No evidence of fuel spill was noted under the airplane, however, the

FAA airworthiness inspector stated that he could detect an odor of fuel. Just over 3 pints of fuel was drained from the fuel system during

disassembly of the aircraft for movement to a storage facility. The responding FAA inspectors performed an analysis of fuel required for the

flight from Redding to Sacramento and reported that the aircraft should have had sufficient fuel to complete the trip.



Following recovery of the aircraft, the FAA inspectors supervised a test run of the engine utilizing the existing airframe plumbing and electrical

systems. According to the FAA inspector's report, the engine started and operated satisfactorily. A detailed examination of the aircraft

disclosed no airworthiness discrepancies.



The closest official weather observation station to the accident site is the Sacramento Executive Airport, which is 5 miles east. At 1554, the

local aviation surface observation was reporting in part a temperature of 74 and a dew point of 47 degrees Fahrenheit. According to a

carburetor icing probability chart, the temperature/dew point spread falls in a region on the chart annotated "moderate icing --- cruise power or

serious icing --- glide power."



NTSB Final Narrative (6120.4)



During the final leg of a solo cross-country flight, the pilot reported to TRACON controllers that he was losing power and going down. The

aircraft landed in a marsh area and nosed over after the landing gear encountered soft mud. The recording hour meter onboard the aircraft

showed it had flown 4.6 hours since departing on the multiple stop round robin flight. Fueling records at the midpoint airport disclosed that the

aircraft tanks were topped with 9.6 gallons of 100LL fuel. FAA inspectors performed a preliminary examination of the aircraft during the

recovery operation and found the fuel system intact. No evidence of a fuel spill was noted under the airplane; however, an odor of fuel was

detected from the ground. Just over 3 pints of fuel was drained from the fuel system. An analysis of flight manual performance charts revealed

that the aircraft should have had sufficient fuel to complete the trip. Following aircraft recovery, a test run of the engine was conducted utilizing

the existing airframe plumbing and electrical systems. The engine started and operated satisfactorily. A detailed examination of the aircraft

disclosed no airworthiness discrepancies. The closest official weather observation station to the accident site was 5 miles east; it was

reporting a temperature and dew point of 74 and 47 degrees, respectively. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, the

temperature/dew point spread fell in a region on the chart annotated 'moderate icing --- cruise power or serious icing --- glide power.'



NTSB Probable Cause Narrative



A loss of engine power due to carburetor ice and the student's failure to use carburetor heat. The carburetor icing (weather) condition was a

related factor.



Occurrences and Sequence of Events

Occurrence: 1, LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(TOTAL) - NONMECHANICAL

Phase of Operation: CRUISE



Sequence of Events for Occurrence Number: 1

1 ( Factor ) WEATHER CONDITION / CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS / (0)

2 ( Cause ) CARBURETOR HEAT / NOT USED / PILOT IN COMMAND

3 ( Cause ) FUEL SYSTEM, CARBURETOR / ICE / (0)



Occurrence: 2, FORCED LANDING

Phase of Operation: EMERGENCY DESCENT/LANDING



Occurrence: 3, NOSE OVER

Phase of Operation: LANDING - ROLL



Sequence of Events for Occurrence Number: 3

1 (Finding) TERRAIN CONDITIONS / SWAMPY / (0)


 

 

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