Cessna A150M C-GOBC

Summary

On 18 August 2006 at about 23:42 local time, a Cessna A150M registered C-GOBC was involved in an accident near Red Bluff, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 August 2006 at 23:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Red Bluff, California, United States

Nearest airport

Red Bluff Municipal Airport (RBL)

Coordinates

40.1508, -122.2522

Aircraft

Cessna A150M

Registration

C-GOBC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Red Bluff → San Jose

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX06LA265

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's improper mixture leaning technique, which lead to thermal damage and seizure of the exhaust valves.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane experienced a loss of engine power after takeoff, made a forced landing, touched down on uneven terrain, and came to rest inverted. The pilot was on the fourth leg of a cross-country flight when the engine lost power on the initial climb-out about 200 feet agl. Investigators inspected the engine and found the exhaust valves for two of the cylinders stuck in the open position, with dark combustion deposits in the combustion chambers. Both of the exhaust valves exhibited purple discoloration consistent with thermal overheating damage. All four cylinders exhibited pink discoloration of the head and cooling fins in the vicinity of the exhaust ports, which is consistent with thermal overheating. The pilot reported that the engine had been running rough during the approach phase of the flight prior to the accident. The pilot flew the airplane a total distance of approximately 567 nm on the day of the accident. The previous 19.8 hours of the airplane were flown exclusively by the accident pilot. Just prior to the accident, the engine had undergone a 50-hour inspection, and had had a major overhaul 185 hours ago.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.