Jaars - Townsend Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Waxhaw, North Carolina 28173
Wednesday, August 3, 1994 14:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND HIS STUDENT WERE TAKING OFF ON A LOCAL, INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. ABOUT 300 FEET AGL, DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, ACCOMPANIED BY A STRONG VIBRATION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FORCE LANDED, AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. A POST- ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 2 EXHAUST VALVE WAS STUCK OPEN. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED COKING AND CARBON DEPOSITS ON THE VALVE STEM AND GUIDE. AFTER CLEANING, THE VALVE STEM DIAMETER WAS MEASURED TO BE .4328'. THE ALLOWABLE RANGE IS .4335' TO .4340'. THE ENGINE HAD A HISTORY OF STICKING VALVES; THE NUMBER TWO EXHAUST VALVE WAS FREED BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL 5 HOURS BEFORE THE CRASH. THEY ALSO REPORTED THAT THE VALVE WAS FREED WITHOUT REMOVING THE CYLINDER OR THE VALVE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A STUCK, AND WORN, EXHAUST VALVE, AND THE INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. A FACTOR WAS THE TREES AT THE FORCED LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1425
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WAXHAW
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28173
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JAARS - TOWNSEND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NC18
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 230
Airport Elevation 607
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 335
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2100
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1168
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N60182
NTSB Number ATL94LA150
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150J
Aircraft Series Identifier 150J
Aircraft Serial Number 15070129
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 10 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 4470
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WAXHAW AERO CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 248, JAARS CENTER
Aircraft Owner City WAXHAW
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28173
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WAXHAW AERO CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 248, JAARS CENTER
Operator City WAXHAW
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28173
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1425
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 3309
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --