20070724017069A

(-23) ON JULY 24, 2007 AT 0404 EST, A CESSNA 150L, N10958, CRASHED AFTER COLLIDING WITH TERRAIN IN HAMMONDSPORT, NY. THE IMPACT WAS FATAL TO THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT. N10958 ARRIVED AT THE JAMESTOWN AIRPORT, (KJHW) AT 0245 LOCAL FROM CADILLAC, MI. THE PILOT PURCHASED 15.1 GALLONS OF 100LL FUEL. A LINEMAN AT KJHW STATED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED OK AND FRIENDLY, AND ASKED TO USE THE WEATHER COMPUTER. THE PILOT THEN DEPARTED ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER. ON JULY 25, 2007 INSPECTORS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RESPONDED. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE THE INSPECTORS FOUND THE SITE SECURED. THE REMAINS OF THE PILOT HAD BEEN REMOVED. DUE TO THE IMPACT FORCES OF THE CRASH, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE FIRST IMPACTED THE GROUND WITH ITS RIGHT WING AFTER STRIKING A SMALL TREE. THE RIGHT WING TIP WAS FOUND IN A FIELD ALONG WITH OTHER FIBERGLASS MATERIAL. THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE THEN STRUCK THE GROUND, THEN THE LEFT WING AND TAIL. THIS "CARTWHEEL" ROTATION CONTINUED FOR APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET TILL THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN WHAT RESEMBLED A "BALL OF METAL" IN A WOODED AREA ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 300 DEGREES. WHEN WALKING THE DEBRIS PATH TO THE MAIN WRECKAGE THE INSPECTORS OBSERVED MANY SMALL PARTS. THERE WERE ALSO SOME LARGE PARTS. THE LEFT MAIN TIRE WAS FOUND TO THE LEFT OF THE DEBRIS PATH, THE PROPELLER, BOTH BLADES WERE BENT, AND LEFT DOOR WAS FOUND TO THE RIGHT. THE NOSE STRUT WITH THE NOSE TIRE MISSING WAS FOUND IN THE CENTER OF THE DEBRIS PATH. THE PILOT'S PERSONAL EFFECTS WERE GATHERED AND RETAINED FOR THE INVESTIGATION. THERE WAS A BIOHAZARD WHICH THE INSPECTORS TAPED OFF USING RED BIOHAZARD TAPE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE MOUNTS. DUE TO THE CRUMPLED STATE OF THE AIRCRAFT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE COCKPIT. THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE PHOTOGRAPHED THE SCENE AND WRECKAGE. THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS WERE BREACHED AND BOTH FUEL CAPS WERE IN PLACE. THERE WAS A 5" DEEP DEPRESSION WITH A 5-8 FOOT OVAL SHAPED AREA IN THE GRASS FIELD WHERE THE NOSE IMPACTED. ON JULY 26, 2007 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CESSNA, NTSB, AND TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS ARRIVED ON SCENE TO CONDUCT THEIR INVESTIGATION. MORE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN. AS THE WRECKAGE WAS BEING REMOVED WITH A BACKHOE, FUEL WAS SEEN LEAKING FROM THE WING TANKS. A CONTINUITY CHECK OF THE AIRCRAFT'S CONTROLS AND ENGINE WERE CONDUCTED AND FOUND POSITIVE. THE FLAPS WERE CONFIRMED TO BE IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. AFTER REMOVING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE WOODS AND GAINING ACCESS TO THE COCKPIT THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE WERE FOUND IN THE FORWARD POSITIONS. THE PILOT HAD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE BASED ON A FOREIGN LICENSE WITH A LIMITATION OF NIGHT FLYING PROHIBITED. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WEATHER AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, ITHACA, NY WAS IFR WITH A 1/2 SM OVC 001. PENN YANN AIRPORT, WHICH IS 12SM NORTH OF THE CRASH SITE, WEATHER WAS 4SM-RA BKN 009. THIS INCIDENT IS CLOSED.