Little Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Knoxville, Tennessee 37922
Monday, April 25, 1988 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CFI REPORTED THAT THE DAY'S INSTRUCTION WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE A DUAL CROSS-COUNTRY FOR THE UNCERTIFICATED STUDENT. DUE TO WEATHER, IT WAS CANCELLED AT THE LAST MINUTE. RATHER THAN NOT FLY AT ALL, IT WAS DECIDED TO STAY AT THE PRIVATE GRASS STRIP AND MAKE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. TWO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS HAD BEEN COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY. AFTER THE THIRD TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER 'LIKE RETARDING THE THROTTLE'. THE CFI ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE NORTHEAST END OF AN ABANDONED GRASS STRIP. THE CFI STATED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO STRETCH HIS GLIDE TO REACH THE STRIP AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES DURING THE TURN TO LAND TO THE NORTHEAST. THE ENGINE HAD AN INTERNAL STRUCTURAL FAILURE. THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 23 HOURS SINCE THE ANNUAL AND 100 HOUR INSPECTIONS. DURING POST ACC ENG TEARDOWN IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ROCKER ARM SHAFT BOSSES ON #3 CYL WERE FRACTURED. THE TOP RING ON #3 PISTON WAS BROKEN ALSO. ONE BOSS ON THE #2 CYL WAS SEPARATED BUT THE VALVES FUNCTIONED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/25/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KNOXVILLE
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37922
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LITTLE CREEK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TN04
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 200
Airport Elevation 930
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1450
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 917
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 25 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1634
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36936
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1491Q
NTSB Number ATL88FA155
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 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15072791
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 Jan 10 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 1943
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LITTLE CREEK SCHOOL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1810 LITTLE CREEK LANE
Aircraft Owner City KNOXVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37922
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 TN04
Departure City KNOXVILLE
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1420
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 Descent
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 2100
Runway Width 116
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --