20231210020499A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 150L · Lajas, PR · December 10, 2023

Date: December 10, 2023 · 17:50 local
Place: Lajas, PR
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1707Q
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA24LA063
Reported as: Cessna 150L
Reported engine: Continental 0-200 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 18,312 total4,300 in this make and model63 in the last 90 days

N1707QRegistered now · Cessna 150LS/N 15073007 · Built 1971 Airframe modelCessna 150L 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 Sunday, December 10, 2023, at 17:50 local time (2150 zulu), the pilot and a passenger were departing from an uncharted airfield at the municipality of Lajas enroute to mercedita airport (tjps). The departure airfield is private. It has a single grass runway that is unlit with east-west orientation. At the point of rotation/lift off on the takeoff roll, the pilot lifted the nose of the airplane and the airplane climbed into ground effect. At that point, the right-wing tip of the airplane struck a bush of tall sawgrass which caused the airplane to yaw to the right into the vegetation on the southern edge of the runway resulting in a complete loss of control. The airplane pitched down impacting the ground and tumbled over and around bushes on side of the runway before coming to a complete stop. Substantial damage to the airplane was observed. The two occupants were unharmed.

As the FAA filed it

ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2023, AT 17:50 LOCAL TIME (2150 ZULU), THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE DEPARTING FROM AN UNCHARTED AIRFIELD AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF LAJAS ENROUTE TO MERCEDITA AIRPORT (TJPS). THE DEPARTURE AIRFIELD IS PRIVATE. IT HAS A SINGLE GRASS RUNWAY THAT IS UNLIT WITH EAST-WEST ORIENTATION. AT THE POINT OF ROTATION/LIFT OFF ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT LIFTED THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED INTO GROUND EFFECT. AT THAT POINT, THE RIGHT-WING TIP OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A BUSH OF TALL SAWGRASS WHICH CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO YAW TO THE RIGHT INTO THE VEGETATION ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN IMPACTING THE GROUND AND TUMBLED OVER AND AROUND BUSHES ON SIDE OF THE RUNWAY BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED. THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE UNHARMED.

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 ERA24LA063Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportLajas, PRThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from bushes alongside the runway, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff.Dec 10, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1707Q · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19760516012279AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Moca, Puerto Rico1 Wing struck steel sugar cane wagon during ldg roll. Throttle control bolt to carburetor missing.May 16, 1976 · Substantial damage Accident 19731209039269ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Humacao, Puerto RicoGrass 4 to 5FT tall on sides of rwy.Dec 9, 1973 · Substantial damage