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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

December 20, 2003 · Cessna 152 · N93002

Louisburg, NC

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 20, 2003
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Louisburg, NC
Aircraft
Cessna 152
Tail Number
N93002
Operator
David Leahy
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ATL04LA058

The CFI and student were completing a cross-country flight, and were six miles from the destination airport flying at 2500 feet, when the engine started to run rough for 20 to 30 seconds then quit. The CFI went through the emergency checklist but was unable to restart the engine. The CFI selected a nearby field for an emergency landing. During the landing roll, the nose wheel collided with a ditch and collapsed. Examination of the airplane revealed the nose gear collapsed, the propeller bent, and the firewall damaged. The engine teardown revealed wear and fretting on the main journals, and bearing movement that resulted in engine oil starvation to the crankshaft.. The center journal was loose and appears to have spun, cutting off the oil passage. The last engine overhaul was on January 22, 2001, and approximately 1,102.7 hours had been flown since that overhaul.

NTSB Probable Cause

Other maintenance personnel's inadequate engine overhaul that resulted in engine case fretting and engine oil starvation.

Full Narrative

On December 20, 2003, at 1130 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N93002, registered to Rinne Associates Inc., and operated by a commercial pilot, collided with a drainage ditch during an emergency landing near Louisburg, North Carolina, The instructional flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Kinston, North Carolina at 1000 on December 20, 2003. According to the CFI, they were completing a cross-country flight and were six miles from the destination airport flying at 2500 feet, when the engine started to run rough for 20 to 30 seconds then quit. The CFI went through the emergency checklist but was unable to restart the engine. The CFI selected a nearby field for an emergency landing. During the landing roll, the nose wheel collided with a ditch and collapsed. Examination of the airplane revealed the nose gear collapsed, the propeller bent, and the firewall damaged. The engine teardown revealed wear and fretting on the main journals. The center journal was loose, the bearing assemblies had spun, and the oil passageways were blocked. A review of the aircraft maintenance logbooks reveal that the last engine overhaul was on January 22, 2001, and approximately 1,102.7 hours had been flown since that overhaul.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:30 EST
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 152
Tail NumberN93002
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorDavid Leahy
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-235 · Reciprocating · 110
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 25 · First Class · None
Crew 2Age 54 · Third Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
Wind350° @ 7 kt, gusting 14 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point39 C / 48
Altimeter30.12 inHg
Observation Time16:30
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data