# NTSB ANC12LA031: Cessna 150F, N7911F, Fairbanks, AK, April 22, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 21, 2012, 16:30 local (Apr 22, 2012, 00:30 UTC)
- Place: Fairbanks, AK
- Coordinates: 64.815277, -147.856384
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8153&lon=-147.8564&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report October 9, 2012
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA FSDO-01
- NTSB case key (mKey): 83447
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC12LA031
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83447/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83447
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12LA031

## Probable cause

The student pilot did not control the airplane’s pitch attitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall during the takeoff initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to use the pre-takeoff checklist.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 336 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Prior to flight: Preflight or dispatch event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/030); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/030/sequence.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 355 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/030/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot departed on a solo local area practice flight. He said that during the takeoff roll, he held forward pressure on the yoke to keep the nose wheel on the ground. At 50 mph, he let the nose wheel come off the ground, and the airplane rotated into a steep climb. He tried to push the nose down, but the stall warning horn sounded, and the airplane descended toward the ground. He said he did not reduce engine power, and he did not remember checking the elevator trim position before takeoff. Another student pilot who flew the airplane earlier, reported that he was with an instructor and that his flight was uneventful. He said there were no problems associated with the airplane’s controls. His last landing was a simulated engine out, and he utilized a lot of nose-up trim to maintain the best angle of glide. He said he does not routinely return the trim to neutral after a flight. An inspection of the airplane showed the trim was set close to the full nose-up position. It is likely that the pilot did not check the trim setting during the pretakeoff inspection, which would have been indicated in the pretakeoff checklist. No interference was found with the flight controls.

## Factual narrative

On April 21, 2012, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 150F airplane, N7911F, sustained substantial damage during takeoff at the Fairbanks International Airport (PAFA), Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo student pilot received serious injuries. 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 April 21, an FAA inspector at the accident site said that after lifting off, the airplane descended steeply, impacted the runway, and slid off the right side of the runway. He said the nose wheel broke off, and the engine's lower cowl and forward fuselage bottom were crushed upward. The tail of the airplane had broken off at the aft cabin window. The inspector also said that witnesses reported seeing the airplane liftoff from the runway in a steep climb before descending steeply, and impacting the ground. He said the airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. During an interview with the NTSB IIC on April 24, the pilot said during the takeoff roll the airplane wanted to fly at 40 miles per hour. He said he held forward pressure on the yoke to keep the nose wheel on the ground. At 50 miles per hour he said he let the nose wheel come off the ground, and the airplane rotated into a steep climb. As he tried to push the nose down, the stall warning horn came on, and the airplane dove toward the ground. He said he pulled back on the yoke just before the airplane impacted the ground. He did not reduce engine power. He said he did not remember checking the elevator trim position prior to takeoff. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on June 4, a student pilot who was the last person to fly the airplane prior to the accident flight, reported that he was with an instructor, and that the flight was uneventful. He said that he had never had any problems associated with the airplane’s controls. His last landing was a simulated engine out. He said he did not think he used full flaps, but he used a good bit of nose-up trim to maintain best angle of glide. He does not routinely return the trim to neutral after a flight. An inspection of the airplane by the NTSB IIC showed the trim was set in almost the full nose up position. The Cessna 150 Owner's Manual states in the before takeoff checklist, item number 7, Trim Tab -- "TAKE-OFF" --setting. No evidence of any preimpact flight control interference was found.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7911F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7911F-2018-03-06), registration cancelled 2018-03-06, S/N 15064011, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150F
- Registry model: [Cessna 150F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150f) (registry code 2071814) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15064011
- Engines: CONT MOTOR O-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: PAFA, Fairbanks, AK
- Destination: PAFA, Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan: Unknown
- Airport: PAFA, Fairbanks International, runway 20L, 6,500 × 100 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 29; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 27 total, 27 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 3 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 20120421009679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120421009679A), Apr 21, 2012: Cessna 150F, Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft departed rnwy 20R. Shortly after rotating, pitched steeply up followed by a stall then steep pitch down impacting the ground at about a 45 degree nose…

## Other investigations on N7911F (3)

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 ANC99LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA086), Jul 4, 1999: Cessna 150F (N7911F), Fairbanks, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind. Factors in the accident were a crosswind, and an inadvertent ground loop.
- [NTSB LAX98LA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA080), Jan 17, 1998: Cessna 150F (N7911F), San Carlos, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's excessive airspeed, which resulted in a bounced landing, and, his failure to ensure that his seat locking pin was engaged, which caused his seat to move backwards during the touchdown and…
- [NTSB LAX67F0331](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX67F0331), Mar 14, 1967: Cessna 150F (N7911F), Simi, CA, substantial damage

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83447. 697 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 660 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40372798&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Record of Conversation - Student Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40372799&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Student%20Pilot-Master.PDF

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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