20070318002949A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 150D · Brownfield, TX · March 18, 2007

Date: March 18, 2007 · 18:30 local
Place: Brownfield, TX
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4242U
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW07CA085
Reported as: Cessna 150D
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 184 total131 in this make and model106 in the last 90 days

N4242URegistration cancelled May 10, 2007 · Cessna 150DS/N 15060242 · Built 1963 Airframe modelCessna 150D 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 March 18, 2007 at approximately 1800 CDT, N4242U, a Cessna model 150-D, departed runway 17 at levelland airport (lln), levelland, Texas, on a VFR flight to Brownfield, Texas. The pilot was maneuvering the aircraft west of Brownfield, and touched down in a wheat field 200 feet north of highway 82/380, 5 miles west of Brownfield, Texas. The nose gear dug into the soft soil, sheared off and the aircraft flipped upside down approximately 200 ft from the initial touch down point. The pilot sustained a bruise to the forehead. The passenger sustained a serious cut to the nose and bruises near the right eye. The aircraft sustained substantial structural damage to the fuselage, both wings, engine mounts, nose cowling and propeller. The nose gear assembly was located approximately 50 feet south of the aircraft. A small post-flight fire developed in the engine compartment due to fuel leaking from the gascolator. The fire self extinguished.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MARCH 18, 2007 AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 CDT, N4242U, A CESSNA MODEL 150-D, DEPARTED RUNWAY 17 AT LEVELLAND AIRPORT (LLN), LEVELLAND, TEXAS, ON A VFR FLIGHT TO BROWNFIELD, TEXAS. THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING THE AIRCRAFT WEST OF BROWNFIELD, AND TOUCHED DOWN IN A WHEAT FIELD 200 FEET NORTH OF HIGHWAY 82/380, 5 MILES WEST OF BROWNFIELD, TEXAS. THE NOSE GEAR DUG INTO THE SOFT SOIL, SHEARED OFF AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN APPROXIMATELY 200 FT FROM THE INITIAL TOUCH DOWN POINT. THE PILOT SUSTAINED A BRUISE TO THE FOREHEAD. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A SERIOUS CUT TO THE NOSE AND BRUISES NEAR THE RIGHT EYE. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, BOTH WINGS, ENGINE MOUNTS, NOSE COWLING AND PROPELLER. THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET SOUTH OF THE AIRCRAFT. A SMALL POST-FLIGHT FIRE DEVELOPED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO FUEL LEAKING FROM THE GASCOLATOR. THE FIRE SELF EXTINGUISHED.

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 DFW07CA085Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportBrownfield, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering. A contributing factor was the gusty wind conditions.Mar 18, 2007 · Substantial damage