N48195

On September 19, 1998, about 2000 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N48195, registered to Causey Aviation Service Inc, collided with a power line, vehicle, then the ground near Burlington, North Carolina, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. Occupants in the vehicle were not injured. The flight originated from Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport, Burlington, North Carolina, about 1 minute earlier.

The pilot stated that he performed a preflight of the airplane, and an engine run-up before takeoff with the only discrepancy noted was that the carburetor heat control required 2 hands to pull, during the engine run-up, but was easy to push in. The flight departed with full fuel tanks and he flew to the Hurdle airstrip located in Mebane, North Carolina. He performed six approaches with five full stop-taxi back landings, all without using carburetor heat, then departed the traffic pattern and flew over and orbited his fathers house two times, then flew toward the Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport, where he entered the traffic pattern for runway 6. While on the downwind leg abeam the approach end of the runway, he reduced the throttle to idle to simulate an engine failure and landed just past the numbers on the runway. He reached rotation speed about midfield of the runway, continued the takeoff, and entered the traffic pattern again, where he again simulated an engine failure while abeam the numbers. The airplane was landed with 10 degrees of flaps extended again just past the numbers and he raised the flaps after landing and applied full power. The airplane traveled about 2/3 the length of the 5,000-foot-long runway, before accelerating to 60 knots indicated airspeed. He continued the takeoff and leveled off at 50 feet agl to accelerate. Then near the end of the runway, began to climb, where he noticed that the tachometer indicated 2,000 rpm, and the climb angle seemed shallow. He verified that the throttle and carburetor heat were full in and while at pattern altitude, the engine began surging, which increased in intensity and was noted on the tachometer. He again verified that the mixture, carburetor heat, and throttle were full forward, and maneuvered the airplane for landing on a nearby expressway. While descending for a forced landing, the right wing of the airplane collided with a powerline, and the airplane then pitched down and yawed to the right. The airplane then impacted on the road and was destroyed by postcrash fire. The pilot further stated that the only time he applied carburetor heat was during the engine run-up before the initial takeoff.

Numerous witnesses near the crash site reported seeing the airplane flying low after takeoff then observed a bright flash of light when the airplane collided with the powerline.

The engine was removed from the airplane and examination by an FAA Airworthiness Inspector revealed crankshaft, camshaft, and valve train continuity. The magnetos and carburetor were destroyed by the postcrash fire. Examination of the propeller revealed both blades were curled aft, with deep scratches noted on the blade face. A copy of the inspector statement is an attachment to this report.

Review of an icing probability chart revealed that the conditions were favorable for serious icing at descent power.

Review of the pilot's operating handbook for the airplane revealed that carburetor heat is required to be fully applied before throttle reduction.