# NTSB ANC07LA090: Cessna 150G, N2981S, Kenai, AK, August 25, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 25, 2007, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Kenai, AK
- Coordinates: 60.573055, -151.244995
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.5731&lon=-151.2450&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 30, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Anchorage FSDO-03
- NTSB case key (mKey): 66522
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC07LA090
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66522/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC07LA090

## Probable cause

The pilot's excessive flap setting during takeoff.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - aborted
  - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment
  - flaps - excessive, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose over, takeoff - aborted

## Analysis

The private pilot of the float-equipped airplane was taking off from a municipal float plane lake. He said during the takeoff roll the airplane did not accelerate as fast as normal, and once on step did not accelerate as anticipated. He aborted the takeoff, but the airplane would not stop in the remaining length of the lake. The pilot said he elected to hit the bank head-on rather than in a turn. The airplane traveled onshore 20-30 feet before nosing over. The pilot said when he exited the inverted airplane, the left float was draining what he thought was an excessive amount of water. He said he pumped the floats prior to departure, but felt that a leaking gasket may have filled the left float with water during the pretakeoff water taxi.  An FAA air safety inspector who interviewed the pilot, said the pilot told him he had inadvertently left the flaps in the 40 degrees extended position during the takeoff roll. The airplane was not examined by the NTSB.

## Factual narrative

On August 25, 2007, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 150G airplane, N2981S, sustained substantial damage when it ran aground and nosed over, during an aborted takeoff at the Kenai Municipal Seaplane Lake, Kenai, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private certificated pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 25, the pilot said during the takeoff roll the airplane did not accelerate as fast as normal, and once on step did not accelerate as anticipated. He said he aborted the takeoff, but the airplane was not going to stop in the remaining length of the lake. The pilot said he elected to hit the bank head-on rather than in a turn, attempting to avoid the shore. He said the airplane had slowed considerably, but traveled onshore 20-30 feet before nosing over. He said when he exited the inverted airplane, the left float was draining what he thought was an excessive amount of water. He said he pumped the floats prior to departure, but felt that a leaking gasket may have filled the left float with water during the pretakeoff water taxi.

On August 30, the FAA air safety inspector who interviewed the pilot, told the IIC the pilot told him he had inadvertently left the flaps in the 40 degrees extended position during the takeoff roll.

The airplane was not examined by the NTSB. The pilot did not complete the NTSB form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report as requested.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2981S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2981S-2013-04-22), registration cancelled 2013-04-22, S/N 15066881, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 150G
- Registry model: [Cessna 150G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150g) (registry code 2071816) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15066881
- Engines: Continental O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: David Hanson
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: Kenai, AK

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20070825018999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070825018999A), Aug 25, 2007: Cessna 150G, Kenai, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR part 91 rules in visual flight rule (VFR) conditions. The pilot-in-command attempted to takeoff from…

## Other investigations on N2981S (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI69D0478](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI69D0478-107197), Nov 26, 1968: Cessna 150 (N2981S), Pikeville, KY, substantial damage

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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