19990820013149A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 150L · Garrett, IN · August 20, 1999

Date: August 20, 1999 · 17:00 local
Place: Garrett, IN
Airport: Shenk Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N161BA
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI99LA307
Reported as: Cessna 150L
Reported engine: Continental O200A
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 308 total67 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N161BARegistration cancelled Aug 27, 2013 · Cessna 150LS/N 15072988 · Built 1971 Airframe modelCessna 150L Engine modelContinental 0-200 seriesReciprocating

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.

Acft was attempting to take off on a grass rwy at Shenk arpt when the wing tip struck a tree, and the acft turned and came to rest in the middle of a pond. (.4)the airplane contacted 50 foot tall trees and came to rest in a pond during the inital takeoff climb from a grass airstrip. The pilot reported he landed at the airstrip to practice a short/soft field takeoff. The pilot was unable to clear the trees located about 800 feet from the end of the airstrip. The pilot had flown into the airstrip in the past when it was 2,000 feet long. The length of the airstrip had been shortened to 1,500 feet by the planting of a corn crop. The pilot was unaware that the airstrip had been shortened. There was an 'x' at each end of the airstrip signifying that it was closed and the grass was 4 to 6 inches tall. The chicago sectional aeronautical chart, 58th edition, indicates the length of the airstrip is 2,000. (-23)see CHI99LA307

As the FAA filed it

ACFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF ON A GRASS RWY AT SHENK ARPT WHEN THE WING TIP STRUCK A TREE, AND THE ACFT TURNED AND CAME TO REST IN THE MIDDLE OF A POND. (.4)THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED 50 FOOT TALL TREES AND CAME TO REST IN A POND DURING THE INITAL TAKEOFF CLIMB FROM A GRASS AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT REPORTED HE LANDED AT THE AIRSTRIP TO PRACTICE A SHORT/SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE TREES LOCATED ABOUT 800 FEET FROM THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN INTO THE AIRSTRIP IN THE PAST WHEN IT WAS 2,000 FEET LONG. THE LENGTH OF THE AIRSTRIP HAD BEEN SHORTENED TO 1,500 FEET BY THE PLANTING OF A CORN CROP. THE PILOT WAS UNAWARE THAT THE AIRSTRIP HAD BEEN SHORTENED. THERE WAS AN 'X' AT EACH END OF THE AIRSTRIP SIGNIFYING THAT IT WAS CLOSED AND THE GRASS WAS 4 TO 6 INCHES TALL. THE CHICAGO SECTIONAL AERONAUTICAL CHART, 58TH EDITION, INDICATES THE LENGTH OF THE AIRSTRIP IS 2,000. (-23)SEE CHI99LA307

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 CHI99LA307Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGarrett, INthe pilot's improper inflight planning/decision to land and takeoff on the airstrip which was unsuitable and closed, and the pilot's failure to attain clearance with the trees during the takeoff initial climb. Factors associated with the accident were the…Aug 20, 1999 · Substantial damage