- Date
- September 2, 2009, 13:10 local (17:10 UTC)
- Place
- Rosedale, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6446FCessna 150F
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-GRR-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090902049609A
- Case key
- 74648
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 failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff ground run. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's deteriorated physical and mental capabilities.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The 84-year-old pilot reported that the airplane did not seem to have enough power to become airborne during the takeoff. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway, where it came to rest after contacting trees and scrub brush. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. Neither the pilot nor the airplane had flown during the past 3 years. The pilot did not hold a current medical certificate. The pilot's wife reported that he suffered a fall 3 years ago and that his physical and mental capabilities were such that he should not have been trying to fly the airplane.
Factual narrative
On September 2, 2009, at 1310 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150F, N6446F, collided with trees and the terrain following a loss of control while taking off from a private airstrip in Rosedale, Michigan. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The local personal flight was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. The 85-year-old pilot reported that the airplane did not seem to have enough power to become airborne during the takeoff. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway where it came to rest after contacting trees and scrub brush. The pilot had not flown during the past 3 years, nor had the airplane been flown in 3 years. The pilot did not hold a current medical certificate. The pilot's wife reported he suffered a fall 3 years ago and that his physical and mental capabilities were such that he should not have been trying to fly the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6446F
- Reported as
- Cessna 150F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15063046
- Engine
- Cont Motor 0-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert C. Rawlings
- Registered owner
- Robert C. Rawlings
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PVT · Sault Ste. Marie, MI
- Destination
- PVT · Sault Ste. Marie, MI
- Airport
- PVT · Rosedale Airport
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
- 84
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- ANJ, 7 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 866 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.