NORTHEAST, PA, USA
N50294
CESSNA 150H
THE LEFT SEAT PILOT WAS PREPARING FOR HIS BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. AFTER TAKEOFF, AT 800FT AGL, THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT INDUCED A POWER LOSS USING THE MIXTURE. WHEN THE MIXTURE WAS RETURNED TO RICH BY THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT, THE PILOT IN THE LEFT SEAT PUMPED THE THROTTLE. POWER WAS NOT REGAINED AND AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING WAS MADE IN A GRAPE VINEYARD. POST-CRASH EXAMINATION SHOWED THE ENGINE WOULD RUN O.K. AT FULL POWER. HOWEVER, IF A MIXTURE CUT WAS ALLOWED TO DROP BELOW 1500 RPM, IT WOULD NOT RECOVER WHEN THE MIXTURE WAS PUT BACK TO RICH. THE EXHAUST STACKS EXHIBITED EXTREME RICH MIXTURE BURN COLOR. THE CARB FLOAT LEVEL OR METERING JETS MAY HAVE BEEN OUT OF TOLERANCE.
A POWER LOSS DUE TO AN OVER-RICH ENGINE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE COMBINATION OF AN OVER-RICH RUNNING ENGINE AND THE PILOT'S PUMPING OF THE THROTTLE DURING THE RECOVERY ATTEMPT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FLOOD.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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