# Accident 19980317003569A: Cessna 150M, Lockport, NY, March 17, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 17, 1998, 13:00 local time - Place: Lockport, NY - Airport: North Bulfalo Suburban Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Missed Approach IFR - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 43.1605° N, 78.6895° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1605&lon=-78.6895&mi=10 - Aircraft: N704GP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N704GP-2000-03-02) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 150M (registry code 2071830, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150M - Reported engine: CONT O200A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 775 total, 567 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA078) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980317003569A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ROUGH ENGINE. USED CARB HEAT NO BETTER. TURNED BACK. ENGINE QUIT ON FINAL. LANDED SHORT. POSSIBLE HEAT TOO LATE. (.4)WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE EXPERIENCED A DECREASE IN RPM AND BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT ADDED CARBURETOR HEAT AND THE RPM INCREASED. WHEN THE PILOT REMOVED THE CARBURETOR HEAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AGAIN, SO HE REAPPLIED AND MAINTAINED FULL CARBURETOR HEAT. HOWEVER, AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AGAIN. THE PILOT SAID HE REACHED HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 2,500-2,600 FEET AND BEGAN A SLOW SPIRAL TO ENTER THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT 1,400 FEET. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHER WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT FAILURES OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEWPOINT REPORTED AT AIRPORTS ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH, AND ABOUT 45 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WERE 37 AND 18 DEGREES F; AND 43 AND 21 DEGREES F, RESPECTIVELY . (-23) ON TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1998, A CESSNA 150, N704GP, REGISTERED TO ERIE AIRWAYS, ON A DAY VFR FLIGHT FROM 0G0 AIRPORT TO THE ROCHESTER, NY AREA, AT 8000-9000 FT. MSL, BEGAN RUNNING SLIGHTLY ROUGH AROUND GENESEE COUNTY AIRPORT (GVQ). THE PIC STATED THAT HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, HOWEVER THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE VICINITY OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 2500-2600 FT. MSL AND INITIATED A SPIRAL DESCENT NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A BRUSHLINE, BETWEEN TWO FIELDS, APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE WEST AND SLIGHTLY NORTH OF THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF RUNWAY AT NORTH BUFFALO SUBURBAN AIRPORT. PRELIMINARY ON-SITE INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE, BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR, REVEALED NO APPARENT EXTERNAL DEFECTS. BOTH AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS AND THE CARBURETOR SUMP CONTAINED 100LL FUEL. ON-SCENE FUEL SAMPLES WERE UNCONTAMINATED. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB NYC98LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA078), Mar 17, 1998: Cessna 150 (N704GP), Lockport, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's misjudgment of altitude and distance during a forced landing in the traffic pattern. A factor in the accident was the carburetor icing conditions. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.