- Date
- August 14, 1990, 18:58 local (22:58 UTC)
- Place
- Ridgeway, VA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N459AECessna 150G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900814032959A
- Case key
- 11554
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall and inflight collision with the terrain.
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
Witnesses reported the airplane was on a go-around, when it descended and struck the ground. Some of the witnesses reported the flaps were extended and the engine was operating at full power during the go-around. One witness said the airplane was flying near stall speed before it descended. The airplane struck the ground in a nose down attitude. The passenger/owner was seated in the left seat, and he had about 3 hours of total time. Examination of the airplane did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N459AE
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15066604
- Airframe hours
- 5,747
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William H. Taylor
- Registered owner
- William H. Taylor
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 1990 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- Martinsville, VA
- Destination
- Ridgeway, VA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- VA02 · Pace, runway 18, 3,000 × ft
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 800 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAN, 25 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.