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19950626014869A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · Ben Wheeler, TX · June 26, 1995

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 26, 1995 · 09:37 local
Place
Ben Wheeler, TX
Phase of flight
Unauth Low Level Opns
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N4963H
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW95FA259
Reported as
Cessna 152
Reported engine
Lycoming O235L2C
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
N4963HRegistration cancelled Mar 25, 1997 · Cessna 152S/N 15284048Airframe modelCessna 152

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The aircraft had been fully fueled before two large individuals with their equipment got into the aircraft for an aerial photographic flight in the local area. The manufacturers recommended maximum gross takeoff weight for this aircraft is 1,675 pounds and the calculated takeoff weight was 1,764.3 pounds. Witnesses observed the airplane 'flying much too low and slow just above the trees.' The witnesses stated that 'the plane sure did wobble' and it appeared to them that 'the airplane was going to slow to stay up.' Another witness observed the airplane's 'motor was cutting out' and 'then he hit the tree then the ground.' Another witness observed the airplane go 'straight down' and that 'he did not clip a tree.' The airplane came to rest on the north edge of a group of trees 25 to 30 feet high in a nose down position. An examination of the engine revealed no indications of anomalies that could have affected its performance. The flaps were found in a 7 degree down position. Leaves and twigs were found in the left main gear wheel fairing which matched the leaves on the trees at the accident site.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FULLY FUELED BEFORE TWO LARGE INDIVIDUALS WITH THEIR EQUIPMENT GOT INTO THE AIRCRAFT FOR AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC FLIGHT IN THE LOCAL AREA. THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT FOR THIS AIRCRAFT IS 1,675 POUNDS AND THE CALCULATED TAKEOFF WEIGHT WAS 1,764.3 POUNDS. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE 'FLYING MUCH TOO LOW AND SLOW JUST ABOVE THE TREES.' THE WITNESSES STATED THAT 'THE PLANE SURE DID WOBBLE' AND IT APPEARED TO THEM THAT 'THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING TO SLOW TO STAY UP.' ANOTHER WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE'S 'MOTOR WAS CUTTING OUT' AND 'THEN HE HIT THE TREE THEN THE GROUND.' ANOTHER WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE GO 'STRAIGHT DOWN' AND THAT 'HE DID NOT CLIP A TREE.' THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ON THE NORTH EDGE OF A GROUP OF TREES 25 TO 30 FEET HIGH IN A NOSE DOWN POSITION. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO INDICATIONS OF ANOMALIES THAT COULD HAVE AFFECTED ITS PERFORMANCE. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND IN A 7 DEGREE DOWN POSITION. LEAVES AND TWIGS WERE FOUND IN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WHEEL FAIRING WHICH MATCHED THE LEAVES ON THE TREES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW95FA259Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBen Wheeler, TXThe pilot's intentional low level flying and not maintaining a clearance from the trees. A factor was the pilot exceeded the maximum allowable gross weight of the airplane.Jun 26, 1995 · Destroyed

Other reports on N4963H · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19940629028731ITakeoff Ground Roll · Tyler, TXNose wheel shimmy on takeoff. Veered off runway. No findings.Jun 29, 1994