20171216023139A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 150C · Castalia, NC · December 16, 2017

Date: December 16, 2017 · 14:40 local
Place: Castalia, NC
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7929Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA18LA048
Reported as: Cessna 150C
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,400 total

N7929ZRegistration cancelled Sep 12, 2019 · Cessna 150CS/N 15060029 Airframe modelCessna 150C 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.

On December 16, 2017, at approximately 14:40 EST, N7929Z, a Cessna CE-150C, piloted by Mr. Stephen ward merritt, crashed just after takeoff from a field approximately 10NM ene or the triangle north executive airport (klhz) in Castalia, NC. Mr. Merritt survived the initial crash but succumbed to his injuries the following day.

The pilot was attempting to recover the aircraft from the field due to an off airport landing performed by a student pilot on the day before the accident on December 15, 2017. Cell phone video taken by an eye witness showed the aircraft perform a left turning takeoff and immediately began a steep bank angle to the left and a high angle of attack which resulted in a stall.

As the FAA filed it

ON DECEMBER 16, 2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 14:40 EST, N7929Z, A CESSNA CE-150C, PILOTED BY MR. STEPHEN WARD MERRITT, CRASHED JUST AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 10NM ENE OR THE TRIANGLE NORTH EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KLHZ) IN CASTALIA, NC. MR. MERRITT SURVIVED THE INITIAL CRASH BUT SUCCUMBED TO HIS INJURIES THE FOLLOWING DAY.

THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO RECOVER THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE FIELD DUE TO AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING PERFORMED BY A STUDENT PILOT ON THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT ON DECEMBER 15, 2017. CELL PHONE VIDEO TAKEN BY AN EYE WITNESS SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT PERFORM A LEFT TURNING TAKEOFF AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A STEEP BANK ANGLE TO THE LEFT AND A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.

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 ERA18LA048Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportCastalia, NCThe pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while performing a turning takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt the takeoff, which he believed…Dec 16, 2017 · Substantial damage