# NTSB ATL02LA045: Cessna 150, N10949, Panama City Bch, FL, February 12, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 12, 2002, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Panama City Bch, FL - Coordinates: 30.213888, -85.680557 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2139&lon=-85.6806&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report September 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Birmingham FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54200 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02LA045 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54200/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54200 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA045 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat that resulted in the loss of engine power. A factor was weather conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor ice. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, maneuvering - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (contributing factor) - carburetor heat - not used, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The pilot was on his third simulated banner pick up and at the top of his climb when the engine lost power. The pilot stated, when he pitched the airplane up the engine started to sputter, and he heard the stall warning horn. The left wing dropped and the airplane nosed down, he leveled out the airplane and attempted to regain engine power. The pilot was never able to regain full power and the airplane collided with the trees. No mechanical malfunctions were found with the engine, and airframe during the post-accident examination. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were favorable for carburetor icing. Review of the weather data showed the ambient temperature to be 57 degrees Fahrenheit and a dew point of 36 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot did not report applying carburetor heat during any phase of the flight. According to the Cessna 150 Owner's Manual, carburetor heat should be applied during the before landing check and during rough engine operation or loss of power. ## Factual narrative On February 12, 2002, at 1330 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150, N10949,was registered to and operated by Aerial Adds, Inc., collided with pine trees while attempting a forced landing following a loss of engine power at Panama City Beach, Florida. The simulated banner tow flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 banner towing flight. Visual Meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and the private-rated pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight departed from a private strip in Panama City Beach, Florida, at 1315. According to the pilot, while on his third simulated banner pick up, at the top of his climb, the engine lost power. He heard the stall warning horn, and pitched the airplane down to break the stall. The left wing dropped and the airplane nosed down, he leveled out the airplane and attempted to regain engine power, but the engine never regained full power. The airplane collided with trees as he maneuvered for an emergency landing. The pilot also stated that he never used the auxiliary fuel pump that was installed in the airplane because he was told that he did not need to. According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), who was on the ground talking to his student via an aviation handheld radio, during a simulated banner-tow pick up training session. On the third simulated pick up, the CFI stated, his student "pitched the nose of the airplane up to a very steep angle". The CFI transmitted to the student that the angle of the climb was excessive, and that he did not have to climb that steep. At that time, the CFI stated that he started to hear the engine sputter, this started happening just as the nose of the airplane was pitched back to level. The CFI stated that he started to see puffs of soot coming out of the exhaust sacks. The airplane then began to descend rapidly getting progressively steeper. As the airplane crossed over the north end of the field it sounded as if the engine began to run again. By this time the airplane was low to the ground and disappeared beyond the tree line in a left wing-low, nose down attitude. Examination of the airplane revealed all flight controls were intact and no mechanical malfunctions were found with the engine and airframe during the post-accident examination. The pilot did not report experiencing a mechanical problem with the airplane. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were favorable for carburetor icing. Review of the weather data showed the ambient temperature to be 57 degrees Fahrenheit and a dew point of 36 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot did not report applying carburetor heat during any phase of the flight. According to the Cessna 150 Owner's Manual, carburetor heat should be applied during the before landing check and during rough engine operation or loss of power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N10949](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N10949-2017-07-12), registration cancelled 2017-07-12, S/N 15075160, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150 - Registry model: [Cessna 150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (registry code 2071826) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 150-75160 - Airframe hours: 10991 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Registered owner: Aerial Adds, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 6, 2002, 2 hours before - Departed: PFN, Panama City Bch, FL - Airport: PFN, Panama City Airport, runway 180, 1,320 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 16, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 520 total, 278 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: KPFN ## 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 20020212002249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020212002249A), Feb 12, 2002: Cessna 150L, Panama City Bea, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated he was doing simulated banner pick ups with radio instructions from another pilot on the ground. He had made two previous low app roaches… ## Other investigations on N10949 (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 ATL86LA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL86LA195), Jul 10, 1986: Cessna 150L (N10949), Shelbyville, KY, substantial damage ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 28, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54200. 963 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 493 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387710&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Icing Probability Curve (item 2, .PDF, 401 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40165959&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Icing%20Probability%20Curve-Master.PDF - Weather Data (item 3, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40165960&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Data-Master.PDF - Witness Statement (item 4, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387711&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.