- Date
- October 18, 1991, 10:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Saluda, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N23398Cessna 150H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 7, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911018047399A
- Case key
- 11744
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 pilot's decision to abort the takeoff with inadequate runway to stop. A factor in the accident was the failure of the exhaust muffler baffle.
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 completed the preflight and pretakeoff checklist satisfactorily. He prepared for a short field takeoff by holding the brake and adding full power. He released the brakes and as the aircraft accelerted to lift off speed 3/4 down the runway and he was about to rotate at 65 knots, he heard a loud bang that sounded like a backfire. He aborted the takeoff, pulled the power off and applied the brakes. However, the aircraft exited the runway onto a field where it collided with a ditch. FAA examination of the muffler revealed right side exhaust baffle failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23398
- Reported as
- Cessna 150H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15068928
- Airframe hours
- 4,675
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mmark S. Stanley
- Registered owner
- M & P Enterprises, Ltd.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 1, 1991 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- W36 · Chesapeake, VA
- Airport
- W75 · Hummel Fld, runway 18, 2,261 × 45 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
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 71 total · 54 in this make and model · 22 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NHK, 23 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.
Other investigations on N23398 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.