Cessna 152 N152GB

Summary

On 26 May 2018 at about 16:35 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N152GB, operated by Hillsboro Aero Academy LLC, was involved in an accident near Hillsboro, Oregon, 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

26 May 2018 at 16:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Hillsboro, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Portland-Hillsboro (HIO)

Coordinates

45.5503, -122.9569

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N152GB

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Hillsboro Aero Academy LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hillsboro → Hillsboro

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR18LA148

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power during a go-around due to the loose copper electrode finger inside the left magneto.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While conducting takeoffs and landings during an instructional flight, the student pilot initiated a go-around. Shortly thereafter, the engine began to run rough and lost partial power. The instructor attempted to troubleshoot the engine, but was unable to restore engine power, and initiated a forced landing to a grass area beyond the end of the runway, during which the airplane nosed over. Examination of the engine revealed that the left magneto was producing spark randomly across its four posts. Internal examination of that magneto revealed that the distributor gear was intact; however, the copper electrode finger was found displaced from the plastic gear assembly. A service bulletin issued by the magneto manufacturer about three years before the accident stated that some units contained distributor gears that exhibited loose electrode fingers, the symptoms of which included "unusual RPM drop during magneto check, difficulty starting, and/or rough running engines." A separate service bulletin issued 38 years before the accident specified that the magnetos should be inspected internally every 500 hours. The operator reported that, at the time of the accident, the magneto had accumulated 402.7 hours since its most recent internal inspection. The operator further reported they conducted internal inspections of the magnetos every 750 hours. It is likely that the loose copper electrode finger resulted in the partial loss of engine power during the go-around.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.