Cessna 150M N714GV

Summary

On 16 August 1994 at about 04:35 local time, a Cessna 150M registered N714GV, operated by Sorbi Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Mettler, California, United States. One person was 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

16 August 1994 at 04:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Mettler, California, United States

Coordinates

35.1491, -119.0597

Aircraft

Cessna 150M

Registration

N714GV

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sorbi Flying Service

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bakersfield → San Diego

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX94LA324

Nobody was injured.

a loss of engine power due to inadequate and improper maintenance procedures and practices. A factor in the accident was the dark night lighting conditions which inhibited the pilot's ability to select a suitable forced landing area.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF POWER WITH A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE TO GROUND CONTROLLERS AND WAS GIVEN A RADAR VECTOR TOWARD A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP, BUT HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A NIGHT FORCED LANDING IN THE CENTER MEDIAN OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO FOUND THAT THE RIGHT HAND HEAT EXCHANGER INTERNAL BAFFLING WAS DETERIORATED, ALLOWING STAINLESS STEEL MATERIAL TO LOOSEN AND EXIT OUT THE EXHAUST PIPE. IN THE SAME SECTION OF EXHAUST PIPE, A 1/4-INCH BOLT WAS INSTALLED TO RETAIN THE PIPE ON THE EXHAUST ASSEMBLY. THE BOLT WAS FOUND TO BE A NONSTANDARD INSTALLATION AND PROTRUDED 1/2 INCH INTO THE PIPE FORMING A RESTRICTION WHICH COULD COLLECT PIECES OF THE LOOSE BAFFLING MATERIAL. THE NUMBER 1 ENGINE CYLINDER WAS CRACKED ON THE EXHAUST SIDE OF THE HEAD. ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE WORN. THE RIGHT HAND MAGNETO WAS AN INCOMPATIBLE MODEL WITH THE CONTINENTAL O-200 SERIES ENGINES AND COULD NOT BE TIMED TO THE ENGINE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.