Cessna 152 N6306P

Summary

On 19 April 2020 at about 17:40 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N6306P was involved in an accident near Corona, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 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

19 April 2020 at 17:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Corona, California, United States

Nearest airport

Corona Municipal Airport (AJO)

Coordinates

33.8919, -117.6014

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N6306P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1981

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Corona → Corona

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR20LA126

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger were conducting touch-and-go landings and had just turned crosswind when the pilot stated, "oh we are going down." The passenger, who was occupied with an electronic device, looked up and within about 10 seconds they impacted terrain and came to rest upside down on a roadway. Due to noise cancelling headphones, the passenger did not hear the engine quit, nor did he hear it make any abnormal noises or sputters. The pilot did not recall the accident flight. Postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies with the airframe or engine; however, the fuel system was compromised due to damage which prevented a full evaluation. The carburetor heat control was found in the OFF position. The pilot recently purchased the airplane as a wreck with the intention to rebuild and sell it. The airplane needed extensive work and had flown a total of four short flights since it was rebuilt. He recently found water in the fuel system after a storm. After sumping the entire fuel system and carburetor, he discovered that the fuel tank filler neck screws were too small. After replacing the screws, more storms passed through the area. He did not sump the fuel system prior to the accident flight. Neither the pilot nor passenger performed a preflight inspection, because both thought the other was going to conduct the inspection. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious carburetor icing. The pilot reported that he does not often use the carburetor heat. Despite the airplane being recently rebuilt and recent history of water in the fuel system, the postaccident engine examination only found about one thimble of water in the fuel strainer, which would not be enough to cause a rough running engine. Although no preflight was conducted and a full evaluation of the fuel system could not be conducted, it is likely the engine lost power due to carburetor icing because the pilot did not use carburetor heat during flight in conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.