RESERVE, LA, USA
N89970
CESSNA 120
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE PASSING THROUGH 200 FEET AGL. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED IN A ROUGH OPEN FIELD AS THERE WAS NO OTHER SUITABLE TERRAIN. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NO. 1 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE HAD SEPARATED AND THE STEM WAS INGESTED INTO THE ENGINE. THE VALVE HEAD WAS FOUND IMBEDDED IN THE PISTON HEAD. DUE TO THE LEVEL OF DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THE VALVE PARTS, THE EXACT FAILURE MODE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE VALVE FAILURE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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