Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gratis, Ohio 45330
Saturday, April 15, 1989 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) RPRTD HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AFTER HE SMELLED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. DRG THE LANDING, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED SOFT DIRT & NOSED OVER, DAMAGING THE VERTICAL STABILIZER. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THERE WAS A BIRD'S NEST IN THE VICINITY OF THE #2 & #3 CYLINDERS. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY OTHER POSSIBLE SOURCE OF SMOKE OR FIRE WAS FOUND. ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, WHO EXAMINED THE ACFT, THE NEST WAS PARTIALLY HIDDEN, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN DRG A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WITH ADEQUATE LIGHTING. BOTH THE CFI & STUDENT HAD PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT, BUT NEITHER SAW THE BIRD'S NEST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FOREIGN MATERIAL (BIRD NEST) IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND FAILURE OF THE DUAL STUDENT OR INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO IDENTIFY AND REMOVE IT DURING THEIR PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA AND SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WERE FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GRATIS
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45330
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
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 1653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1009
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 1472
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 15 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39817
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N757HJ
NTSB Number ATL89LA129
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15279750
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Jun 24 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 51
Airframe Hours 2793
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOWARD, ERNIE F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3601 DETROIT AVE.
Aircraft Owner City DAYTON
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45416
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MULLINS AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address DAYTON-NEW LEBANON AIRPORT
Operator City DAYTON
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 45427
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 I44
Departure City DAYTON
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1625
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 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 0
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --