20040417007049A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 150H · Boulder, CO · April 17, 2004

Date: April 17, 2004 · 19:20 local
Place: Boulder, CO
Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N105DP
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN04FA064
Reported as: Cessna 150H
Reported engine: Continental O200A
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 350 total8 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N105DPRegistered now · Cessna 150HS/N 15068960 · Built 1968 Airframe modelCessna 150H 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.

(-23) On April 17, 2004, at 1920 MDT, Cessna N105DP, a Cessna 150H, was substantially damaged when it impacted into a lake, 1/2 mile east of the Boulder municipal airport (1V5), Boulder, Colorado. The local flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 without a flight plan. It was VFR at the time of the accident. The pilot said that he had just completed his second touch and go landing. He was approximately 300 ft. AGL when his engine started to run rough. The pilot said that he "put a little mixture in" and the engine started to run fine for about 5 seconds. Then the engine died. The pilot said that the only place he could land was in the lake. He touched down and skimmed for a few seconds and then nosed over on his back. The pilot said he got out through the windscreen, which had been shattered on impact. He said he got to the top of the bottom of the wing and then swam to shore. He said that the airplane sank nose first about 30 seconds later.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON APRIL 17, 2004, AT 1920 MDT, CESSNA N105DP, A CESSNA 150H, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED INTO A LAKE, 1/2 MILE EAST OF THE BOULDER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (1V5), BOULDER, COLORADO. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. IT WAS VFR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD JUST COMPLETED HIS SECOND TOUCH AND GO LANDING. HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300 FT. AGL WHEN HIS ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE "PUT A LITTLE MIXTURE IN" AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN FINE FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS. THEN THE ENGINE DIED. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE ONLY PLACE HE COULD LAND WAS IN THE LAKE. HE TOUCHED DOWN AND SKIMMED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN NOSED OVER ON HIS BACK. THE PILOT SAID HE GOT OUT THROUGH THE WINDSCREEN, WHICH HAD BEEN SHATTERED ON IMPACT. HE SAID HE GOT TO THE TOP OF THE BOTTOM OF THE WING AND THEN SWAM TO SHORE. HE SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE SANK NOSE FIRST ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER.

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 DEN04FA064Accident · Minor injuriesField investigationFinal reportBoulder, COthe failed magneto and the lack of suitable terrain (lake) for a forced landing.Apr 18, 2004 · Substantial damage