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20010331007329A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 150L · Witnergreen, VA · March 31, 2001

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 31, 2001 · 16:00 local
Place
Witnergreen, VA
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5433Q
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC01LA091
Reported as
Cessna 150L
Reported engine
Continental O200A
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
160 total130 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days
N5433QRegistration cancelled Jan 8, 2002 · Cessna 150LS/N 15073333 · Built 1972Airframe modelCessna 150LEngine 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.

(-23)After departing shd, the pilot flew into clouds and fog and became disoriented while attempting to remain in VFR conditions. The pilot crashed into the back of a private residence while trying to cross a mountain ridge.(.4) the pilot obtained three weather briefings. During the last briefing, which was conducted about 0845, he was advised of marginal visual flight rule conditions developing about 1900, along his return route of flight. The pilot then departed and flew to shd without incident. About 1520 the pilot, without getting an updated weather briefing, loaded his passenger and departing for the trip home. About 8 to 10 minutes prior to the accident, the pilot started to encounter deteriorating weather. He had visual contact with the ground, but reduced visibility forward. About 3 minutes before the accident, the pilot made a turn to the west to maintain visual meteorological conditions (VMC). During the turn, the pilot lost all outside visual reference. He leveled the wings and started a climb. The airplane re entered VMC shortly afterwards, but was not in a position to avoid the approaching terrain. The airplane then impacted an unoccupied house and came to a stop.

As the FAA filed it

(-23)AFTER DEPARTING SHD, THE PILOT FLEW INTO CLOUDS AND FOG AND BECAME DISORIENTED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMAIN IN VFR CONDITIONS. THE PILOT CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF A PRIVATE RESIDENCE WHILE TRYING TO CROSS A MOUNTAIN RIDGE.(.4) THE PILOT OBTAINED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS. DURING THE LAST BRIEFING, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED ABOUT 0845, HE WAS ADVISED OF MARGINAL VISUAL FLIGHT RULE CONDITIONS DEVELOPING ABOUT 1900, ALONG HIS RETURN ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT THEN DEPARTED AND FLEW TO SHD WITHOUT INCIDENT. ABOUT 1520 THE PILOT, WITHOUT GETTING AN UPDATED WEATHER BRIEFING, LOADED HIS PASSENGER AND DEPARTING FOR THE TRIP HOME. ABOUT 8 TO 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STARTED TO ENCOUNTER DETERIORATING WEATHER. HE HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, BUT REDUCED VISIBILITY FORWARD. ABOUT 3 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT MADE A TURN TO THE WEST TO MAINTAIN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC). DURING THE TURN, THE PILOT LOST ALL OUTSIDE VISUAL REFERENCE. HE LEVELED THE WINGS AND STARTED A CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE RE ENTERED VMC SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, BUT WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO AVOID THE APPROACHING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED AN UNOCCUPIED HOUSE AND CAME TO A STOP.

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 NYC01LA091Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWintergreen, VAThe pilot's improper decision to continue the flight into deteriorating weather.Mar 31, 2001 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5433Q · 1

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

Accident 19761208040019AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Mesa, AZLnd in desert.Dec 8, 1976 · Substantial damage