20021202032919A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 150H · Twentyninepalm, CA · December 2, 2002

Date
December 2, 2002 · 19:50 local
Place
Twentyninepalm, CA
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N50346
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX03LA044
Reported as
Cessna 150H

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.

(.19) On December 2, 2002, at 1950 pacific standard time, a Cessna 150H, N50346, experienced a loss of engine power and collided with ground obstacles during a forced landing near twentynine palms, California. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR part 91. Neither the instructor pilot nor the student pilot were injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local instructional flight originated at twentynine palms, about 1930. The instructional flight was to perform touch-and-go landing practice. During a takeoff following a landing about 75 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The instructor took control and landed some distance beyond the runway 26 end, in sagebrush. Temperatures were obtained from mcas twentynine palms, located 14 miles west-northwest from the twentynine palms airport. At 1855, the temperature was 52 degrees fahrenheit and the dew point was 32 degrees fahrenheit. At 2000, the temperature was 48 degrees fahrenheit and the dew point was 32 degrees fahrenheit. The temperatures were applied to an industry carburetor icing probability chart, and both recorded temperatures were within the "serious icing at glide power" portion of the chart. (-23) take-off and landing were performed, on the third take-off aircraft climb to approximately 75 feet. At that time student pilot encountered slow loss of engine power and a decrease in altitude. Instructor pilot took control of aircraft at that time then proceeded to find a safe place to land, runway was not available. A vacant field was located, aircraft touchdown, however it collided with several bushes. This induced the aircraft to nose over causing substantial damage. Owner stated that he will probably at some time restore the aircraft. The insurance company has deemed the aircraft a total loss.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON DECEMBER 2, 2002, AT 1950 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 150H, N50346, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND COLLIDED WITH GROUND OBSTACLES DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. NEITHER THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT NOR THE STUDENT PILOT WERE INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT TWENTYNINE PALMS, ABOUT 1930. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS TO PERFORM TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING PRACTICE. DURING A TAKEOFF FOLLOWING A LANDING ABOUT 75 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND LANDED SOME DISTANCE BEYOND THE RUNWAY 26 END, IN SAGEBRUSH. TEMPERATURES WERE OBTAINED FROM MCAS TWENTYNINE PALMS, LOCATED 14 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST FROM THE TWENTYNINE PALMS AIRPORT. AT 1855, THE TEMPERATURE WAS 52 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND THE DEW POINT WAS 32 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. AT 2000, THE TEMPERATURE WAS 48 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND THE DEW POINT WAS 32 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE TEMPERATURES WERE APPLIED TO AN INDUSTRY CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART, AND BOTH RECORDED TEMPERATURES WERE WITHIN THE "SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER" PORTION OF THE CHART. (-23) TAKE-OFF AND LANDING WERE PERFORMED, ON THE THIRD TAKE-OFF AIRCRAFT CLIMB TO APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET. AT THAT TIME STUDENT PILOT ENCOUNTERED SLOW LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND A DECREASE IN ALTITUDE. INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT AT THAT TIME THEN PROCEEDED TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO LAND, RUNWAY WAS NOT AVAILABLE. A VACANT FIELD WAS LOCATED, AIRCRAFT TOUCHDOWN, HOWEVER IT COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL BUSHES. THIS INDUCED THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE OVER CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. OWNER STATED THAT HE WILL PROBABLY AT SOME TIME RESTORE THE AIRCRAFT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DEEMED THE AIRCRAFT A TOTAL LOSS.

NTSB investigation

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