# NTSB ATL95LA096: Cessna 150M, N9215U, Indian Trail, NC, May 13, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 12, 1995, 19:30 local (May 13, 1995, 00:30 UTC) - Place: Indian Trail, NC - Coordinates: 35.070457, -80.669036 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0705&lon=-80.6690&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 23, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3560 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL95LA096 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3560/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL95LA096 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LANDING FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - aborted - terrain condition - downhill (contributing factor) - landing gear,nose gear - overload (cause) - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - downhill (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING A VISUAL LANDING, AT GOOSE CREEK AIRPORT, IN INDIAN TRAIL, NORTH CAROLINA. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AFTER INITIAL TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 22. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY, IN A NOSE HIGH, LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. THE NOSE THEN PITCHED DOWN, AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH DOWNWARD SLOPING TERRAIN, ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE GEAR BROKE OFF AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND FOLLOWING THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN. THE WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE INTACT, THE FLAPS WERE FULLY EXTENDED, AND THE THROTTLE WAS HALF WAY IN. ## Factual narrative On May 12, 1995, about 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150, N9215U, collided with the ground during a landing at Indian Trail, North Carolina. The airplane was operated by a student pilot, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. There were no injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The local flight originated about 1820, on the same day. A commercial rated pilot, with 500 hours of total flight time, observed the aircraft after initial touch down on runway 22. The aircraft bounced, and then pitched up. The witness recalled that the aircraft was then about 15 feet above the ground, to the left of the runway, in a nose high, left wing down attitude. The nose then pitched down, and the aircraft collided with downward sloping terrain, adjacent to the runway. The nose gear broke off and the airplane nosed over. According to the student pilot, the initial touchdown seemed normal. The pilot said that when the aircraft bounced, he initiated a go-around. As he attempted the go-around, the aircraft turned to the left, and then collided with the downsloping terrain. The pilot climbed out of the aircraft unharmed. The witness observed that fuel was venting from the left wing and the flaps were fully extended. The flight controls were intact, the carburetor heat was on, and the throttle was half way in. There were no marks on the runway, and the nose gear had broken off at the engine mounts. At this time the pilot stated that the aircraft had caught a gust of wind, and that he had attempted a go-around. At 1950, on the same day, the weather service on the field, at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, 20 nautical miles west of the accident, reported winds from 130 degrees at 3 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9215U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9215U-1995-12-21), registration cancelled 1995-12-21, S/N 15078165 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150M - Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 015078165 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Christopher Dowd Mills - Registered owner: Kenneth M. Blevins - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 11, 1995, 100 hours before - Airport: 28A, Goose Creek Airport, runway 22, 2,350 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 16 total, 16 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 3 knots - Visibility: 12 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 54 °F - Observed at: CLT, 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 19950512011729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950512011729A), May 12, 1995: Cessna 150M, Indian Trail, NC, Substantial damage. Bounced on landing. Drifted off runway. Tried go around. Stalled. Collided with downslope off side of runway. ## Other investigations on N9215U (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 CHI78DEE29](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI78DEE29), Mar 10, 1978: Cessna 150M (N9215U), Lansing, IL, substantial damage 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.