ANC96FA059

According to information provided by the pilot's family, the pilot went for a local flight prior to a planned church service at 1100. A property owner near the accident site heard the sound of an airplane approaching, a 'small explosion,' and the sound of an impact at 0811. He said the engine sounded normal until he heard the 'small explosion.' Examination of the engine revealed that the left and right magnetos were defective. Bench tests showed a malfunction with each magneto. The airplane had received an annual inspection 40 months prior to the accident. The records showed that the pilot's medical certificate had expired and that he was 28 months overdue for a biennial flight review. An examination of the accident site showed that the accident site was in the shadow of a mountain. The surrounding area showed that a forced landing area was located one-half mile away on a bearing of 320 degrees from the accident site.

History of flight

On April 28, 1996, approximately 0811 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 150 airplane, N8115U, registered to and operated by the pilot, collided with trees on a mountain side near Palmer, Alaska. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Birchwood, Alaska, for a local flight to the Knik Glacier area. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces.

Witnesses

There are no known witnesses to the airplane crash. However, during a telephone conversation with Mr. Terry Peterson on April 30, 1996, he stated he owns property near the crash site and on the morning of April 28, 1996, he heard an airplane flying toward his property. At 0811 he heard what he described as a small explosion and 2 to 3 seconds later the sound of an impact. He stated that the engine sounded normal until he heard the explosion.

Damage to aircraft

The airplane was destroyed by impact/descent forces sustained as the airplane passed through a stand of trees 8 to 12 inches in diameter. The airplane was separated into five main groups of wreckage which were scattered on the wooded knoll.

Personnel information

The 39-year old pilot was the holder of a private pilot certificate, number 439024110, with an airplane single engine land rating. The certificate was issued on October 11, 1991. He also held a second class medical certificate dated November 6, 1993. According to 14 CFR Part 61.23,

(b) A second-class medical certificate expires at the end of the last day of (2) The 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the certificate, for operations requiring only a private, recreational, or student pilot certificate.

The accident occurred on April 28, 1996, 5 months after the expiration of the pilot's medical certificate.

The pilot was issued a Statement of Demonstrated Ability for defective distant vision poorer than 20/200 corrected to 20/20 bilaterally. His medical certificate required that he wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision. The Statement of Demonstrated Ability waiver was issued on January 9, 1992, under waiver number 10D19225.

According to information from the pilot logbooks, provided by the family, the pilot had a total flight time of 729.6 hours. The last entry in the pilot's logbook was dated April 27, 1996, the day before the accident. The next previous entry in the logbook was dated October 26, 1995. A review of the logbook to January 1, 1995, showed that all the flight time logged by the pilot was in the accident airplane, N8115U, which was 121.4 hours.

The logbook showed that the pilot received a biennial flight review on December 24, 1991, 52 months prior to the accident. The entry shows that he met the requirements satisfactorily on that date. According to 14 CFR Part 61.56,

(c) Except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft unless, since the beginning of the 24th calendar month before the month in which that pilot acts as pilot in command, that person has -

(1) Accomplished a flight review given in an aircraft for which that pilot is rated by an appropriately rated instructor certificated under this part or other person designated by the Administrator; and (2) A logbook endorsed by the person who gave the review certifying that the pilot has satisfactorily accomplished the flight review.

Aircraft information

The airplane, N8115U, was a Cessna 150M airplane. The engine tachometer at the accident site showed that the airplane had a total flight time of 4,443.7 hours at the time of the accident. The airplane's records show that an annual inspection was completed on December 1, 1992, 40 months prior to the accident. At the time of the annual inspection the airplane had a total time of 4002.0 hours. According to 14 CFR Part 91.409,

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, no person may operate an aircraft unless, within the preceding 12 calendar months, it has had - (1) An annual inspection in accordance with part 43 of this chapter and has been approved for return to service by a person authorized by 43.7 of this chapter; or (2) An inspection for the issuance of an airworthiness certificate in accordance with part 21 of this chapter.

No inspection performed under paragraph (b) of this section may be substituted for any inspection required by this paragraph unless it is performed by a person authorized to perform annual inspections and is entered as an "annual" inspection in the required maintenance records.

The airplane was converted from a fixed tricycle gear configuration to a fixed gear, tailwheel configuration under Supplemental Type Certificate SA 2846 SW on November 18, 1993

The airplane was equipped with a continental O-200-A48 engine, serial number 230893.R, rated at 100 horsepower. The records showed that the engine was overhauled and installed in the airplane on December 1, 1992. The engine had a total time of 2,612 hours since overhaul.

A review of the engine logbook showed that no other maintenance was accomplished by a certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic. There are 15 entries between the Dates of December 1, 1992 and September 23, 1995, showing that work, ranging from oil changes to spark plug cleanings, was accomplished by the pilot.

Meteorological information

There are no meteorological reporting stations near the accident site. However, the weather described by witnesses and observed by this investigator showed that it was clear. The visibility was 50 miles. The outside air temperature was estimated to be 45 degrees. There was no wind in the area. According to the sunrise, azimuth and elevation information, sunrise occurred at 0501. At the time of the accident, the sun was on a 100 degree bearing from the accident site and was at an inclination of 21.8 degrees. This placed the accident site in the shadow of a mountain.

Aids to navigation

The flight route of the airplane was not along any navigable airway. The closest navaid available to the pilot was the Big Lake VOR (very high frequency omnirange) located approximately 25 nautical miles west of the accident site.

Wreckage and impact information

The accident site was located on the northwest side of a mountain at geographic coordinates 61 degrees, 29 minutes north, and 149 degrees, 06 minutes west. The accident site elevation was approximately 800 feet above mean sea level. The wreckage was located on top of a small mountain knoll along a ridge which extended along a magnetic bearing of 300 degrees. Broken tree tops and tree strikes aligned with the main wreckage on a magnetic bearing of 242 degrees. The knoll was wooded with many pine trees that were estimated to be 50 to 75 feet in height. The diameter of the trees ranged from 8 to 12 inches. The slope of the knoll measured 27 degrees near the top and the lower portion measured 35 degrees. The horizontal distance between the observed initial tree impact and the final impact, located on a tree 15 feet above the ground, was measured at 59 feet. The angle of descent from the initial to final impact mark was 30 degrees. The main airplane wreckage, consisting of the cockpit and engine compartment, came to rest at the bottom of the tree described as the final impact point along the flight path.

The airplane wreckage was separated into five main groups. The outboard portion of the right wing was located 70 feet downslope, measured along a 35 degree slope, from the initial tree strike along the 242 degree crash path. The tail section, consisting of the horizontal stabilizer, elevators, vertical fi