20190909014589A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 150M · Whitehall, MI · September 9, 2019

Date: September 9, 2019 · 11:42 local
Place: Whitehall, MI
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N9492U
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN19LA308
Reported as: Cessna 150M
Reported engine: Continental 0-200 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N9492URegistration cancelled May 9, 2022 · Cessna 150MS/N 15078440 · Built 1976 Airframe modelCessna 150M 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 September 9, 2019 at approximately 1230, received a phone call from regional operations center (roc) to advise an aircraft accident occurred at 1142 in Whitehall, MI. An aircraft had hit a water tower in the city of Whitehall at the intersection of sophia and warner streets. The pilot was identified from his drivers license located in his wallet.

The aircraft had departed from fremont municipal airport, 15NM east, approximately 45 minutes before the accident.

Witnesses reported the aircraft was flying low in a straight line with the engine running at power until it crashed in to the water tower and caught fire. The water tower is 180 feet above ground level and holds 500,000 gallons.

Information received from cami shows the pilot?s medical certificate expired on 11/30/2000. The aircraft does not meet the definition to be operated as a light-sport aircraft. The pilot was not eligible for, nor had he applied for basicmed.

As the FAA filed it

ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 1230, RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER (ROC) TO ADVISE AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT 1142 IN WHITEHALL, MI. AN AIRCRAFT HAD HIT A WATER TOWER IN THE CITY OF WHITEHALL AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOPHIA AND WARNER STREETS. THE PILOT WAS IDENTIFIED FROM HIS DRIVERS LICENSE LOCATED IN HIS WALLET.

THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED FROM FREMONT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, 15NM EAST, APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING LOW IN A STRAIGHT LINE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AT POWER UNTIL IT CRASHED IN TO THE WATER TOWER AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE WATER TOWER IS 180 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND HOLDS 500,000 GALLONS.

INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM CAMI SHOWS THE PILOT?S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE EXPIRED ON 11/30/2000. THE AIRCRAFT DOES NOT MEET THE DEFINITION TO BE OPERATED AS A LIGHT-SPORT AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR, NOR HAD HE APPLIED FOR BASICMED.

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 CEN19LA308Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportWhitehall, MIThe pilot’s flight into a water tower while operating below minimum safe altitudes for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence for this investigation.Sep 9, 2019 · Destroyed