Cessna 152 N6141Q accident near Miami, Florida

Probable cause

A partial loss of engine power due to the failure of the No. 3 exhaust valve. Contributing to the accident was the airplane operator’s failure to follow the engine manufacturer’s recommended engine overhaul intervals.

NTSB analysis

Near the conclusion of a local training flight, the airplane’s engine experienced a partial loss of power, and the flight instructor performed a forced landing to a road. The airplane departed the road during the landing, and the right wing was substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the engine found that the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve had fractured and separated from the valve stem. Review of maintenance records showed that the valve may have been installed during a repair to the No. 3 cylinder that occurred about 28 years before the accident flight; however, due to the incomplete nature of the records provided, a definitive determination of the engine’s complete service history could not be made. Recent engine log entries showed that the engine had accumulated nearly 2,500 flight hours since the most recent overhaul. The engine-manufacturer-recommended time between overhaul is every 2,400 flight hours or 12 calendar years.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA13LA187 for the full record.