Cessna 152 N757HJ

Summary

On 15 April 1989 at about 21:00 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N757HJ, operated by Mullins Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Gratis, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 April 1989 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Gratis, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

39.6496, -84.5304

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N757HJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Mullins Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dayton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL89LA129

Nobody was injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.