- Date
- April 30, 1982, 14:35 local (19:35 UTC)
- Place
- White Sulphur S, WV
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N49924Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820430023039A
- Case key
- 73037
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Analysis
The pilot took off on runway 26 with a full load of fuel, one passenger, and luggage. The aircraft was at or near its maximum gross weight limit. The temperature was 60 degrees. The airport elevation was 1801 ft MSL and two ridge lines ran parallel to the runway. The ridge to the south of the runway rose rapidly to an elevation of 3100 ft MSL. After takeoff, the pilot made a left turn. He encountered turbulence and air currents over rapidly rising terrain. The aircraft mushed into the tops of the trees at an estimated speed of 50 knots. This was the pilot's first flight in and out of this airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49924
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15281397
- Airframe hours
- 1,680
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Haps Aerial Enterprises
- Registered owner
- Haps Aerial Enterprises
- Departed
- SSU · White Sulphur S, WV
- Destination
- Morehead, KY
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- SSU · White Sulphur Springs
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,076 total · 105 in this make and model · 960 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 140 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N49924 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.