# NTSB ATL91FA025: Cessna 150J, N51160, Ripley, TN, December 8, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: December 8, 1990, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place: Ripley, TN
- Coordinates: 35.739051, -89.530799 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7391&lon=-89.5308&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 14, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 8300
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL91FA025
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/8300/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL91FA025

## Probable cause

PERFORMING A STALL MANEUVER AT AN ALTITUDE BELOW PRESCRIBED MINIMUMS, AND HIS FAILURE TO APPLY CORRECT FLIGHT CONTROL INPUTS TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL AND SPIN.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering
  - proper altitude - not selected, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - intentional, pilot in command
  - flight controls - improper use of, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall/spin, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A SOLO-INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT IN THE PRACTICE AREA. AFTER SEVERAL CIRCUITS AROUND HIS GIRLFRIEND'S HOUSE (INSIDE THE PRACTICE AREA), HE SET UP FOR A POWER-OFF STALL. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, HE BEGAN THE STALL MANEUVER AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL. A VIDEO TAPE ACCOUNT OF THE ACCIDENT REVEALS THAT THE AIRPLANE STALLED, THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED, AND THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A LEFT-HAND SPIN. ABOUT ONE TURN OF THE SPIN WAS COMPLETED WHEN THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A STEEP, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. ANALYSIS OF THE VIDEO REVEALED THAT THE ONLY FLIGHT CONTROL INPUT WAS FULL UP ELEVATOR, WHICH WAS APPLIED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SEQUENCE. THE STUDENT'S LOGBOOK INDICATED THAT TAUGHT HIM TO PERFORM ALL AIRWORK PRACTICE AT 3,000 FT MSL (ABOUT 2,500 FT AGL). THE STUDENT'S LOGBOOK INDICATED THAT STALLS HAD BEEN PRACTICED ON AT LEAST NINE PREVIOUS FLIGHTS (THREE SOLO FLIGHTS).

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N51160](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N51160-1991-01-07), registration cancelled 1991-01-07, S/N 15069804 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150J
- Registry model: [Cessna 150J](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150j) (registry code 2071820) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 150-69804
- Airframe hours: 5916
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200A 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Shelby Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner: Shelby Aviation Inc,
- Last inspection: 100 hour, October 28, 1990, 54 hours before
- Departed: M04, COVINGTON, TN

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 18; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 22 total, 22 in this make and model, 6 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 11 knots
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: DYR, 20 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19901208053219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901208053219A), Dec 8, 1990: Cessna 150J, Ripley, TN, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Student made practice stall at low altitude near a residence. Failed to recover. Advised to perform stalls 3000 AGL

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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