Cessna 150 N3747J

Summary

On 5 February 2024 at about 20:35 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N3747J was involved in an accident near Parkland, Florida, 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

5 February 2024 at 20:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Parkland, Florida, United States

Coordinates

26.3342, -80.2660

Aircraft

Cessna 150

Registration

N3747J

Category

Airplane

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pompano Beach → Clewiston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA105

Nobody was injured.

A catastrophic engine failure due to oil starvation to the main bearings for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that, shortly after takeoff and at an altitude of 2,000 ft, the engine was not producing full power. The pilot checked the airplane’s configuration and settings and then made a 180° turn to attempt a return to the departure airport. The engine started to shake and run rough and the pilot realized that the airplane would not make it back to the airport. The pilot identified a road to land on; about 50 ft above the road, the engine lost all power. After touchdown, the right wing tip contacted a tree branch and the right wing sustained damage to the wing root, outer leading edge, and the wing spar. Examination of the engine revealed a roughly 6-inch hole in the top of the engine case just behind the No. 2 cylinder. Further examination revealed indications of oil starvation, though the oil tank was found to contain 5 quarts of oil, and the oil pump was found to be functional. The No. 2 connecting rod was found to be twisted, displayed thermal damage, and was separated from the crankshaft. The Nos. 1, 3, and 4, rod end bearings displayed evidence consistent with extrusion of the bearing material. According to airplane maintenance records, a major overhaul of the engine occurred about 187 hours of operation before the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.