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20031106030399A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 150H · Bruceton Mills, WV · November 6, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 6, 2003 · 15:25 local
Place
Bruceton Mills, WV
Phase of flight
Unauth Low Level Opns
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N23178
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC04LA024
Reported as
Cessna 150H
Reported engine
Continental O200*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
65 total
N23178Registration cancelled Aug 7, 2013 · Cessna 150HS/N 15068774 · Built 1968Airframe modelCessna 150HEngine 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) According to a statement by a witness who observed the non-certificated pilot prior to his departure from the valley point airport the pilot of the accident airplane was in possession of a large bottle of beer. The witness stated that pilot took an approximately 45 minute nap in his hangar just prior to his departure from the private airport. The witness stated the pilot staggered out of the hangar and moments later he heard an aircraft engine "start up". According to the witness statement the weather conditions at the airport at the time the accident departed were ceiling 100 foot overcast visibility 3/4 mile with light drizzle and fog. According to a statement by a witness at the accident site the aircraft was observed circling over her house in a right hand turn. The witness stated the aircraft was very "low" and in a steep bank as it completed its second circle and disappeared from sight. The witness stated a few seconds after the aircraft was no longer visible she heard a "crash". The witness stated she immediately went into her house and called 911.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT BY A WITNESS WHO OBSERVED THE NON-CERTIFICATED PILOT PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE FROM THE VALLEY POINT AIRPORT THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS IN POSSESSION OF A LARGE BOTTLE OF BEER. THE WITNESS STATED THAT PILOT TOOK AN APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTE NAP IN HIS HANGAR JUST PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE FROM THE PRIVATE AIRPORT. THE WITNESS STATED THE PILOT STAGGERED OUT OF THE HANGAR AND MOMENTS LATER HE HEARD AN AIRCRAFT ENGINE "START UP". ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS STATEMENT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE AIRPORT AT THE TIME THE ACCIDENT DEPARTED WERE CEILING 100 FOOT OVERCAST VISIBILITY 3/4 MILE WITH LIGHT DRIZZLE AND FOG. ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT BY A WITNESS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED CIRCLING OVER HER HOUSE IN A RIGHT HAND TURN. THE WITNESS STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS VERY "LOW" AND IN A STEEP BANK AS IT COMPLETED ITS SECOND CIRCLE AND DISAPPEARED FROM SIGHT. THE WITNESS STATED A FEW SECONDS AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS NO LONGER VISIBLE SHE HEARD A "CRASH". THE WITNESS STATED SHE IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO HER HOUSE AND CALLED 911.

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 NYC04LA024Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBruceton Mills, WVThe pilot's physical impairment due to alcohol and his improper decision to attempt flight with a low cloud ceiling, low visibility, after consuming alcohol. A related factor in the accident was the low cloud ceiling.Nov 6, 2003 · Substantial damage