20240115000559A

On January 15, 2024, at approximately 1442 eastern standard time a Cessna 150M was destroyed on impact at the Venango Regional Airport, Franklin pa. (Kfkl). The 14 c.f.r. part 91 flight was conducted by a certificated private pilot. The aircraft departed beverly regional airport, beverly ma. (Kbvy) at 0741 EST enroute to the elmira/corning regional airport, horseheads, NY. (Kelm). The pilot stated she was concerned that the fuel guages where reading incorrectly and elected to divert to the albany international airport, albany, NY. (Kalb) arriving at 0931 EST. The pilot requested a top-off and received thirteen (13) gallons of fuel. At 1045 EST the aircraft depart runway 19 at kalb enroute to the youngtown-warren regional airport, vienna, OH. (Kyng). The pilot received air traffic control (ATC) visual flight rules (VFR) flight following services enroute. At 1409 EST the pilot stated to ATC they would be landing at Venango, (kfkl) for fuel. At 1419 EST, thirty-eight (31) nautical miles northeast of the Venango Regional Airport, ADS-B data shows the aircraft beginning a decent. At 1439 EST the aircraft crossed the extended centerline for runway 21 on an approximate magnetic heading of 255 degrees. The aircraft began a left turn crossing over the threshold for runway 12 and continued the left turn crossing over runway 03/21. The turn continued towards runway 30 and crossed the extended centerline for runway 30 continuing in a left turn to the right of the centerline for runway 30 before impacting an enbankment east of taxiway foxtrot at 1442 EST. After impacting the enbankment, the aircraft continued over the crest of the enbankment on a magentic heading of 278 degrees for approximently eightteen (18) feet from the initial point of impact. The pilot was transported to the hospital with serious injuries remaining hospitalized for three weeks and four days. A post accident inpection of the aircraft found the following:

• No rotational damage noted to the propeller, spinner was not located with the wreckage. Spinner bulkheads not located with wreckage.

• The engine mount truss bent aft and outward, moving the powerplant aft. No obvious damage to powerplant.

• Firewall buckled at engine mount truss and NLG strut attachment points.

• NLG strut upper mount seperated from firewall, NLG strut pivoted aft, with the nosewheel resting underneath of the belly of the fuselage

• Approx 30% of the windshield broken and missing from the copilots side. (Lower and outboard)

• Pilot’s door frame warped and buckled in an outboard direction.

• Copilots door frame warped and buckled in an inboard and aft direction. The fuselage skin tore at the cabin door latch point. Tear approx 6 inches

• Both lower wing strut fairings were not attached to the aircraft wreckage. No obvious impact damage noted to the wings, wing struts, flaps, or ailerons.

• No impact damage or ruptures noted to the aircraft fuel tanks.

• Left fuel tank contained no fuel. Right fuel tank contained two (2) gallons of 100LL

• Right MLG bent aft, causing substantial skin tearing, bending, and wrinkling at the attachement point and adjacent structure of the fuselage. Multiple rivets in this section of fuselage show signs of shearing, with the rivet heads missing from the outer skin.

• Emmpennage rivets show signs of shearing at the attachment point to the fuselage bulkhead, on the upper and left side, just aft of the rear windows. Multiple rivet heads missing from the outer skin. Emmpennage of aircraft “drooping” downward and outboard toward the right side of the aircraft.

• No impact damage noted to the vertical structure of the tail or to the rudder.

• No impact damage noted to the horizontal structure of the tail or to the elevator’s.