N10612Cessna 150L · 1973

On November 20, 2022, at 1300 central standard time, a Cessna 150L, N10612, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cypress, Texas. The commercial pilot and a passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot stated that, after flying for about 1.5 hours, the airplane engine began to run rough and shake violently while in cruise flight at 1,600 ft mean sea level (msl). The pilot climbed the airplane to 1,900 ft msl and diverted to the nearest airport, but the engine lost all power, and he performed a forced landing on a grass field. During the landing, the airplane struck a wood fence and sustained substantial damage that included damage to the left wing, right horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage.

Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve had failed and resulted in damage to the No. 3 cylinder. At the time of the accident, the engine exceeded the engine manufacturer’s time between overhaul period specificationsIt would be helpful to note both the recommended TBO and the time since last overhaul at the time of the accident.

as outlined in the Continental Motors Service Information Letter SIL98-9E, which is not mandatory for Part 91 operations.