Cessna LC41-550FG accident near Titusville, Florida, April 18, 2015
On April 18, 2015 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 2008 Cessna LC41-550FG, registered N400BZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Titusville, Florida (Space Coast Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inflight fire and a total loss of engine power due to oil starvation, after separation of the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve rocker box cover for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 2015 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Space Coast Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna LC41-550FG, built 2008 · all LC41-550FGs on the register
- Registration
- N400BZ · no longer on the register · serial 411087
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a preflight inspection, the private pilot verified that the engine contained about 7 quarts of oil; he subsequently departed on a cross-country flight. About 1 hour into the flight, the pilot observed the oil pressure decline. The propeller stopped turning, and smoke entered the cabin. The pilot declared an emergency and subsequently completed a forced landing at a nearby airport. As the airplane came to rest, the pilot observed flames coming from the engine cowling. After the passengers egressed, most of the airplane was consumed by fire. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed thermal damage to the engine compartment and fuselage. One exhaust valve rocker box cover was missing, another rocker box cover was missing multiple screws, and a third rocker box cover was loose. Multiple oil journals were dry and displayed heat discoloration. The separation of the rocker box cover resulted in the engine depleting its oil supply during the flight and a subsequent catastrophic engine failure due to oil starvation. A review of the airplane's maintenance history indicated that the rocker box covers would have been removed about 4 years before the accident when the engine was disassembled following a propeller strike. However, based on maintenance log entries, it could not be determined whether the rocker box covers had been removed or inspected since that time.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during after landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 672 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 599 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 8, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 362 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 211 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 11, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 458 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 2014; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO 550C (piston); 458 hours total
- Operator: Icarus Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 3:45 pm
- Destination: OBE Okeechobee FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from TIX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA15LA189.