ATL01LA052

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150H · Maryville, TN · May 9, 2001

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 9, 2001, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
Place
Maryville, TN
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N6614SCessna 150H
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 13, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA--Nashville FSDO
FAA report
20010509010829A
Case key
52266

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning that resulted in the in-flight collision with a fence during an attempted takeoff from a grass strip.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with objectTakeoff - initial climb
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Object - fenceCause
In flight collision with objectTakeoff - initial climb
Object - tree(s)Cause

Analysis

The airplane collided with a barbwire fence during takeoff, and hit a tree before colliding with the ground. The density altitude was approximately 2000 feet, and according to published takeoff performance data, the takeoff distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle is 1660 feet. The ground run for the takeoff is 910 feet. The pilot reported the runway length of the grass strip as 1100 feet. No mechanical problems with the airplane were noted during the examination of the airplane. A review of weather data disclosed conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor icing.

Factual narrative

On May 9, 2001, at 1430 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N6614S, collided with a barb wire fence and trees on the departure end of the runway at a private airstrip in Maryville, Tennessee. The personal flight was conducted by the pilot under provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot received serious injuries. The flight departed from a grass strip in Maryville, Tennessee, at 1430.

According to pilot, he "departed in a westerly direction and the landing gear caught on a barbwire fence after liftoff causing the accident." The flight continued another 100 feet and the left wing struck a 30 foot tall tree. The airplane continued for another 100 feet and collided with the ground, hitting its right wing first. The nose struck the grass at a near vertical attitude, and then the left wing tip collided with the ground.

The density altitude was approximately 2000 feet,, and according to published takeoff performance data from a hard surface runway, the takeoff distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle is 1660 feet. The ground run for the takeoff is 910 feet. The pilot reported the runway length of the grass airstrip as 1100 feet. No mechanical problems with the airplane were noted during the examination of the airplane. A review of weather data disclosed conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor icing. The pilot did not report computing the takeoff distance from the grass strip using the Cessna 150H performance charts.

Aircraft

Registration
N6614S
Reported as
Cessna 150H
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15067414
Airframe hours
1,595.4
Engine
Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Douglas Hair
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 25, 2001 · 12.9 hours before
Departed
Maryville, TN
Destination
TN87 · Montvale, TN
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
TN87 · Montvale Airpark

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
59
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
January 3, 2001
Seat
Left
Flight hours
582 total · 50 in this make and model · 582 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
3,000 ft broken
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 59 °F
Altimeter
30.20 inHg
Observed at
TYS, 15 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.