NTSB Factual Report

History of Flight

On December 17, 1998, at 1042 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N5314B, operated by the University of Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa, was destroyed when it impacted the ground during a forced landing. After impact, the airplane nosed over and burned. The commercial pilot, a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) who worked as a flight instructor for the university's flight department, received fatal injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight had departed from the Dubuque Airport on a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.

A witness, who was also a CFI for the University of Dubuque and a friend and colleague of the accident pilot, reported that he and the accident pilot had made arrangements to go fly on the morning of the accident. The witness reported that the pilot wanted to do some pleasure flying, since most of the flying he had recently flown had involved giving flight instruction.

The two pilots met at the airport on the morning of the accident. The witness reported the accident pilot flew a Cessna 152, N5314B (14B), and the witness flew a Cessna 172, N737EQ (7EQ).

The witness reported both airplanes were fueled and fuel samples were taken from both airplanes prior to takeoff. He reported that "extensive pre-flights" were conducted on both airplanes. He reported that the pilots had agreed to depart to the north and rendezvous over the John Deere airstrip, which was a closed airport approximately 7 miles to the north. He reported the pilots changed frequencies to 123.45 over the John Deere airstrip in order to communicate with each other during the flight.

The witness reported he departed first in the 7EQ. 14B departed about three minutes later and rendezvoused with 7EQ, who was practicing steep turns over the John Deere airstrip.

The witness reported the airplanes proceeded to Cassville Airport, Cassville, Wisconsin, which was 21 nautical miles to the north northwest of Dubuque Airport, to practice touch and goes. The witness reported the airplanes switched to the local CTAF radio frequency prior to entering the traffic pattern. The witness reported he landed 7EQ on runway 11 and taxied to the ramp to let 14B land. 14B did a low pass and entered a downwind for runway 11.

The witness reported he radioed 14B and informed him that he would be taking off from runway 29 due to the wind direction. 7EQ did a takeoff from runway 29 and 14B did a touch and go on runway 29. The witness reported 7EQ completed three touch and goes and 14B completed a total of four touch and goes.

The witness reported that prior to 14B's fourth touch and go, the accident pilot called over the radio to 7EQ and said, "My engine isn't developing power, I'm not getting the performance."

The witness reported that he responded to the radio call by informing the accident pilot that 14B could land, and 7EQ would pick him up. The witness reported the accident pilot responded by saying, "No, I think I can make it back to DBQ (Dubuque)."

The witness reported that 7EQ and 14B departed the Cassville Airport's traffic pattern to return to Dubuque Airport. The witness reported 7EQ was ahead of 14B so 7EQ turned to a heading of 270 degrees to let 14B catch up.

The witness reported that when the airplanes were north of Sherrill, Iowa, he was able to maneuver 7EQ close enough to 14B to check to see if he could spot any problems with 14B. He reported that he did not observe any smoke or oil, or any other abnormality with the airplane.

The witness reported that approximately 1.5 to 2 miles northwest of John Deere airstrip, the accident pilot radioed, "Oh, ****," (expletive) and 14B went into a steep, descending left turn. The witness estimated that 14B was in a 30 degree angle of bank, 20 degrees nose down, and a 500 to 1,000 feet per minute rate of descent, descending turn.

The witness asked the accident pilot what was wrong, and he reported the accident pilot responded, "What do you think."

The witness reported the accident pilot radioed that he planned to go to the John Deere airstrip, but then chose not to because there was equipment on the runway.

The witness reported that he accelerated ahead of 14B and flew over John Deere airstrip between 50 to 75 feet above the runway in an effort to clear the runway of equipment. The witness made a turn to the right and asked twice over the radio, "14B, where are you?"

The witness reported that as 7EQ came out of the turn to the north, he saw 14B upside down in a field and on fire. He reported he circled over the accident airplane and contacted Dubuque Airport tower and reported the accident. He reported the tower personnel dispatched rescue vehicles to the scene. The witness reported that he continued circling over the accident scene until emergency vehicles arrived at the site.

A witness, who was driving a truck eastbound on Koltes Lane and going up the steep part of the hill, reported he saw an airplane flying low traveling south to north. He reported the airplane "barely cleared the wires" which paralleled Koltes Lane. He reported the airplane was no higher than 75 to 100 feet above ground level (agl). He reported it was wings level and that the wings were not "rocking back and forth." He reported it was in a shallow descent after it crossed the powerlines. He reported the airplane was following the hill and gradually turned to the northeast. He reported it was going slow but he could not tell if the engine was operating. He reported the airplane was approximately 50 feet agl when it went over a little "knob." The witness reported he lost sight of the airplane momentarily as it went behind the knob. When he saw the airplane again it did a nosedive. He reported it nosed over on its top after impact and he immediately observed flames coming from the wreckage.

The fire prevented rescue of the pilot from the wreckage. Firefighters from the surrounding area and airport responded to the accident.

Personnel Information

The pilot was a commercially rated pilot with single and multi-engine land ratings, and a glider rating. He held a Second Class medical certificate. He was a Certified Flight Instructor with single engine land and instrument instructor ratings. The pilot had a total of about 515 hours of flight time. 304 hours were in the make and model of the accident airplane. He had a total of 148 hours of flight time giving flight instruction. He had flown 109 hours in the last 90 days and 101 hours had been as a flight instructor. He had flown 45 hours in the last 30 days, and 3 hours within the last 24 hours.

The pilot had started flying as a flight instructor at the University of Dubuque in the fall of 1998. He had received a Standardization Check ride from the university flight department's Assistant Check Pilot on August 30, 1998.

The accident pilot flew N5314B, the accident C-152, for 2.5 hours the day prior to the accident.

Aircraft Information

The airplane was a single engine Cessna 152, serial number 15283834. The engine was a 110 horsepower Lycoming O-235-L2C engine. The last 100 hour maintenance inspection was conducted on October 27, 1998. The airplane had flown 50 hours since the last inspection and had a total time of 6927 hours.

Maintenance records indicated the last engine overhaul was conducted on August 27, 1990, and the engine was determined to have 2,437 hours since overhaul. Maintenance records indicated the university had ordered a replacement engine in October 1998, but it had not arrived prior to the accident.

A locally produced "Squawk Sheet" used by the flight department to track minor aircraft discrepancies was destroyed in the fire. Interviews with numerous instructor pilots revealed that none of the pilots reported any squawks concerning engine related items. A recurring complaint made by the pilots was the intercom did not work properly, which the pilots reported was an annoyance during flight instruction.

Meteorological Conditions

At 1055, weather conditions reported at Dubuque Municipal Airport were VMC. The sky was clear with 10 miles visibility. The temperature was 30 degrees Fahrenheit and the dew point was 23 degrees Fahrenheit. The winds were 250 degrees at 8 knots. The altimeter was 30.09.

Wreckage and Impact Information

The airplane wreckage was located about 11 nautical miles north of the Dubuque Municipal Airport and about 1.5 nautical miles north of the closed John Deere airstrip. The coordinates of the accident site were N 42 degrees 35.80 minutes, W 090 degrees 43.08 minutes.

The accident site was situated in an area of rolling hills which was clear of trees. The airplane impacted in a field that sloped upward from west to east. Mud Lake Road that ran north and south was about 500 feet west of the impact site. A powerline and a row of homes paralleled the east side of Mud Lake Road. Koltes Lane that ran east and west was about 800 feet to the south of the impact side and a powerline paralleled the road. The terrain north of the impact site sloped steeply downward. About 200 feet east of the impact site was a cultivated field that was fairly flat and was located near the top of the ridgeline.

The airplane impacted the up-sloping terrain on a 080 degree magnetic heading. The main wreckage was located about 80 feet from the initial ground scar. The initial ground scar was located 20 feet to the right of the center of the wreckage path. A green navigation light lens was found 16 feet along the wreckage path and about 10 feet right of the wreckage path centerline. The main ground scar was located between 20 to 27 feet along the wreckage path. A 15.5 foot ground scar impression extended from the main ground scar on a 035 degree heading. Pieces of the red navigation light lens were found at the end of the 15.5 foot ground scar.

The main wreckage was found inverted with the nose of the airplane heading 260 degrees. The propeller remained attached to the engine and was located 72 feet along the wreckage path. The cabin and main fuselage were destroyed by fire.

The left wing had leading edge crush along the span of wing from the fuel tank to the wingtip. The wing root and area where the fuel tank was located were destroyed by fire. The remainder of the wing did not exhibit fire damage.

The right wingtip and about three feet of the leading edge inboard of the wingtip exhibited crushing and buckling damage. The wing root was destroyed by fire. The remainder of the wing did not exhibit fire damage. The right fuel tank was intact and was opened but no fuel was observed.

The tailcone was found inverted. It did not exhibit fire damage except for the area near the baggage compartment.

The wing flap actuator was found extended 2.2 inches, or about 8.5 degrees flap extension. The elevator trim actuator was extended 1.7 inches, or about 5 degrees tab up (nose down). Flight control continuity was confirmed from the flight control surfaces to the cabin controls for the rudder, elevator, and aileron controls.

The propeller and spinner were found still attached to the engine. The propeller did not exhibit any leading edge damage. The camber side of the blades exhibited some chordwise smearing of mud, but it did not exhibit chordwise scratching of the blade surface. The propeller tips did not exhibit blade twist. About the last eight inches of the blade tips did exhibit some forward bending. One blade was bent forward about 10 degrees and the other blade was bent forward about 2 to 3 degrees.

The engine received fire damage, particularly at the right rear (cylinder #3) and on the right magneto. The carburetor was separated from the mounting flange. It incurred fire damage and a hole had burned into the float bowl. The carburetor air box remained attached to the carburetor with the heat valve stuck at mid-range. The air box linkage was intact to the firewall. The mixture cable had separated from the mixture arm. The throttle arm had separated from the carburetor.

The on site examination of the engine revealed that the engine had continuity through the valve train and accessories. After staking the valves, compression checks measured 51/80, 64/80, 50/80, and 52/80.

The spark plugs exhibited light colored deposits, except for #4 plug that had heavy lead deposits, and #1 which had moderate lead deposits. The plugs were tested and they fired normally except for the #2 plug that fired intermittently.

The right magneto was partially consumed by post impact fire and could not be checked for operation. The left magneto was in place but had also been exposed to fire.

The on site examination of the engine did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. The engine was taken to Poplar Grove Airmotive, Poplar Grove, Illinois, for a complete engine teardown. The engine teardown did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. (See Engine Inspection Report)

The airplane had been fueled prior to flight. An estimated 20 gallons of fuel was on board the airplane at impact. The fuel selector valve was destroyed by fire.

Medical and Pathological Information

An autopsy was performed on the pilot at Pathology Associates, Dubuque, Iowa.

A Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report was prepared by the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute. The results were negative.

Additional Information

Parties to the investigation included the Federal Aviation Administration, Cessna Aircraft Company, and Textron Lycoming.

The pilot's logbook and aircraft wreckage were released to the University of Dubuque.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot continued flying with a known discrepancy and he failed to maintain airspeed and lost control of the airplane while attempting a forced landing. Factors included the tailwind and the undetermined loss of power.