N8529G

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 28, 2015, about 1320 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150F, N8529G, was substantially damaged following an emergency landing and collision with terrain after a reported loss of engine power during initial climb near Port Townsend, Washington. The commercial pilot and his sole passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which was being conducted in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed the Jefferson County International Airport (0S9), Port Townsend, Washington, runway 27, about 1315, with Skagit Regional Airport (BVS), Burlington, Washington, the destination.

In a report submitted to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that shortly after taking off and reaching an altitude about 600 feet above ground level, the engine made a loud "popping" noise and died. The pilot stated that in an attempt to restart the engine he tried priming it, but the engine would not start. The pilot concluded that he had no further memory of what occurred after he attempted to restart the engine.

Three witnesses provided the NTSB IIC with statements relative to their observations of the accident. Their observations revealed the following:

Witness number one reported that he observed the airplane climbing out after taking off, and the engine sounded normal, but shortly thereafter the engine sounded like it was cut, followed by the sound of a backfire; the backfire was after the engine had stopped. The witness stated that he then heard two distinctive crash sounds.

The second witness, who was working at the golf course where the airplane crashed, reported that he heard a small [air]plane having engine trouble, and that while watching it he heard it backfire, and subsequently the engine "went dead.". The witness stated that about 2 minutes later he heard what sounded like a crash.

A third witness, who was on the 17th hole of the golf course, opined that he observed a small [air]plane fly low overhead, and thought it was trying to land on the fairway, as it was listing to the left. The witness stated that he did not hear any engine noise when the airplane flew over, and seconds later heard a loud crash. The witness reported that upon arrival at the site of the accident, gas was spewing from the damaged left wing. Additionally, both occupants were conscious, and the pilot commented that he did not know what had happened.

The airplane was located within a stand of trees about 20 ft north of the aft tee box for the 17th hole at the Discovery Bay Golf Course, Port Townsend. The airplane had sustained impact damage to both wings, the engine and propeller, and the cabin/cockpit areas as a result of the collision with trees. The accident site was about 1.15 nautical miles northwest of the departure end of 0S9's runway 27.

The airplane was recovered to a secured storage facility for further examination. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 69, possessed a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, multiengine land, single-engine sea, and instrument airplane ratings. The pilot reported a total flying time of 3,000 hours, with 2,000 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane, and 20 hours of multiengine time. Additionally, the pilot reported that in the last 90 days and 30 days, he had flown 20 hours and 1 hour respectively. The pilot's most recent flight review was conducted on September 8, 2014. The pilot received his third-class Federal Aviation Administration airman medical certificate on August 11, 2015, with the stated limitation, "Must have available glasses for near vision." AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a Cessna model 150F, serial number 15062629. It was a two-place, single-engine, high-wing airplane, with a fixed tricycle landing gear configuration. The airplane was powered by a 100-horsepower Continental Motors O-200-A engine, serial number 62418-5-A. The airplane was originally issued a utility category, standard airworthiness certificate in December, 1965.

Maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on January 9, 2015, at a calculated airframe total time of 2,383.4 hours, and a recorded tachometer time of 51.4 hours. Records also revealed that the airplane's engine was overhauled at a tachometer time of 49.0 hours. However, the logbook entry for the installation does not specify a date; just above the logbook entry, a date of 9-5-13 was handwritten, as well as a written tachometer time of 28.0, and a handwritten total time of 2,332.0 hours. The pilot reported that the engine had accumulated a total of 41.4 hours since the overhaul.

It was revealed during a postaccident investigation of the airplane's engine that four crankshaft gear bolts had sheared, and that the accompanying gear's dowel pin had failed due to a fatigue fracture. In an interview with the airframe and powerplant mechanic who had performed the engine overhaul, when questioned by the NTSB IIC if he possessed a calibrated torque wrench, he said that he did, and that he had used the tool during the overhaul. When queried as to which overhaul manual he used, the mechanic stated that he used the Continental O-200 Overhaul Manual, which was dated January 1984.

The mechanic revealed to the NTSB IIC during the interview that he felt that the crankshaft gear bolts had failed as a result of a sudden engine stoppage when the airplane collided head-on with a tree. As such, the failure of the crankshaft gear bolts was not the cause of the accident, however, was as a result of the accident. The mechanic further opined that he felt there was nothing wrong with the engine, and that what probably precipitated the loss of engine power was carburetor ice. He added that the accident pilot told him earlier that morning that he had to wait about 30 minutes or so for the fog to lift so he could take off. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 1315, the weather reporting facility at the Oak Harbor Airport (OKH), Oak Harbor, Washington, located about 14 nm northeast of the accident site, reported wind 340° at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 17°C, dew point 9°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.05 inches of mercury.

According to the carburetor icing-probability chart, for the area conditions reported at about the time of the accident, moderate icing could be expected at cruise power, and serious icing conditions might be expected at descent power. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a Cessna model 150F, serial number 15062629. It was a two-place, single-engine, high-wing airplane, with a fixed tricycle landing gear configuration. The airplane was powered by a 100-horsepower Continental Motors O-200-A engine, serial number 62418-5-A. The airplane was originally issued a utility category, standard airworthiness certificate in December, 1965.

Maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on January 9, 2015, at a calculated airframe total time of 2,383.4 hours, and a recorded tachometer time of 51.4 hours. Records also revealed that the airplane's engine was overhauled at a tachometer time of 49.0 hours. However, the logbook entry for the installation does not specify a date; just above the logbook entry, a date of 9-5-13 was handwritten, as well as a written tachometer time of 28.0, and a handwritten total time of 2,332.0 hours. The pilot reported that the engine had accumulated a total of 41.4 hours since the overhaul.

It was revealed during a postaccident investigation of the airplane's engine that four crankshaft gear bolts had sheared, and that the accompanying gear's dowel pin had failed due to a fatigue fracture. In an interview with the airframe and powerplant mechanic who had performed the engine overhaul, when questioned by the NTSB IIC if he possessed a calibrated torque wrench, he said that he did, and that he had used the tool during the overhaul. When queried as to which overhaul manual he used, the mechanic stated that he used the Continental O-200 Overhaul Manual, which was dated January 1984.

The mechanic revealed to the NTSB IIC during the interview that he felt that the crankshaft gear bolts had failed as a result of a sudden engine stoppage when the airplane collided head-on with a tree. As such, the failure of the crankshaft gear bolts was not the cause of the accident, however, was as a result of the accident. The mechanic further opined that he felt there was nothing wrong with the engine, and that what probably precipitated the loss of engine power was carburetor ice. He added that the accident pilot told him earlier that morning that he had to wait about 30 minutes or so for the fog to lift so he could take off. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONA survey of the accident site revealed that the airplane's wings had impacted trees on a heading of north at the 40-foot level. This was followed by the propeller/engine colliding head-on with a 28-inch diameter tree in the same direction, and at the same height. The airplane then rotated about 90 degrees to the left prior to falling vertically to the ground, where it came to rest upright in a densely tree and bush covered area. The forward section of the airplane and both wings were substantially damaged, while the aft fuselage and empennage sustained only minor damage. There was no postcrash fire. All components necessary for flight were accounted for at the accident site.

On October 15, 2015, under the supervision of the NTSB IIC and a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector/airworthiness, and with technical support provided by field representatives for Continental Motors Inc. and Textron Aviation, an examination of the engine and airframe was performed. The results of the examinations revealed the following:

Airframe

The right wing remained attached to...