- Date
- March 25, 1995, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fuquay-Varina, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9345UCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950325005409A
- Case key
- 3542
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The certified flight instructor's failure to complete the takeoff checklist which resulted in an attempted takeoff with the wing flaps extended.
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
According to the certified flight instructor, he and the pre-solo student were conducting touch-and-go training when the student pilot failed to retract the wing flaps after landing. During the takeoff phase of the procedure, the airplane failed to gain normal climb airspeed. The flight instructor took the flight controls from the student, and attempted to increase the airspeed, and retract the wing flaps. Upon realizing that a safe climb to clear trees was not possible, the instructor aborted the takeoff attempt. The airplane touched down in a grassy area, and nosed over. Examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical problem, but the wing flaps were still in the landing position. According to the pilot's handbook, 'flap deflections of 30 degrees and 40 degrees are not recommended at any time for takeoff'; up is the normal takeoff position for wing flaps.
Factual narrative
On March 25, 1995, at 1400 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150M, N9345U, nosed over off the departure end of runway 34 at Triple W Airport in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. The training flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage; the certified flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The flight departed Fuquay-Varina, at 1340 hours.
According to the flight instructor, he and the student pilot were conducting traffic pattern work at Triple W Airport. After the second landing, the student was instructed to "go around". At this point both the student and instructor thought that the landing flaps had been retracted. As the student applied full power, the airplane climbed quickly to 50 feet. The student was instructed to "go forward with the yoke", since the airspeed was only 40 knots.
The flight instructor took the flight controls from the student and attempted to recover the aircraft from the low airspeed condition and attempted retract the landing flaps which were still fully extended. Since the airplane had not gained enough altitude to clear the surrounding trees, the instructor aborted the climb and landed in a grassy area off of the runway. During the landing, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over.
According to the pilot's operating handbook, "flap deflections of 30 degrees and 40 degrees are not recommended at any time for takeoff"; up is the normal takeoff position for the wing flaps.
No mechanical problem was reported with the airplane by the flight instructor; the flight instructor did report gusty winds.
Examination of the airplane at the accident site disclosed that the wing flaps were in the fully extended position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9345U
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078294
- Airframe hours
- 700
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Ginn Inc.,, doing business as Ron'S Aircraft Services
- Registered owner
- Trimborn, Harry J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 20, 1995
- Departed
- 5W5
- Airport
- 5W5 · Triple W, runway 34, 3,000 × 40 ft, asphalt
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 200 in this make and model · 100 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 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.