Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Petersham, Massachusetts 01366
Saturday, October 17, 1992 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT AND THE INSTRUCTOR WERE CONDUCTING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID, '[THE] ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THROTTLE APPLICATION AFTER PROLONGED POWER OFF.' THE PILOT SAID THAT HE USED CARBURETOR HEAT PRIOR TO AND DURING THE DESCENT. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE CLEARED THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES. THE INSTRUCTOR PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. THERE WAS A LARGE STREAK OF OIL FROM THE ENGINE TO THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER OIL DRAIN LINE WAS DISCONNECTED. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 2 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE ENGINE CRANKCASE. THE #3 CYLINDER HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE RINGS ON THIS CYLINDER WERE CHROME, AND THE CYLINDER WAS CHROME. THIS WAS AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER. THE #3 CYLINDER WALLS WERE SCORCHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPRPOER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PETERSHAM
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01366
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1549 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID ORH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1205
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 23
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 636
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 17 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48033
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N49269
NTSB Number NYC93LA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model C-152
Aircraft Series Identifier C-152
Aircraft Serial Number 15281214
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Oct 15 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 6513
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DEBORAH GIORDANO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16 POLLOCK ST.
Aircraft Owner City WORCESTER
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01604
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMITY AIRCRAFT FLIGHT SCHOOL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address WORCESTER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Operator City WORCESTER
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01606
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 No
Departure Airport Code ORH
Departure City WORCESTER
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ORH
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --