- Date
- May 31, 2010, 16:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Glasco, KS
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9388UCessna 150M
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20100531034809A
- Case key
- 76188
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 delay in applying full power to arrest a sink rate at low altitude.
Findings · 2
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 pilot wanted to take some photographs of a building on his farm. It was a "hot (85 to 88 degrees) humid day." He made one pass to the north before turning around to the south. On the second pass at reduced power, the airplane began to settle towards the ground from about 200 feet. He added power but the airplane's wheels contacted wheat on rising terrain. From 95 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed), the "drag was instant." Despite full power and full back elevator, the airplane struck the top of an incline, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot's accident report, he wanted to take some photographs of a building on his farm. It was a "hot (85 to 88 degrees) humid day." He made one pass to the north before turning around to the south. On the second pass at reduced power, the airplane began to settle towards the ground from about 200 feet. He added power but the airplane's wheels contacted wheat on rising terrain. From 95 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed), the "drag was instant." Despite full power and full back elevator, the airplane struck the top of an incline, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said the wings were bent, the empennage crushed, and the fuselage buckled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9388U
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078336
- Airframe hours
- 3,609
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ray Palmer
- Registered owner
- Ray Palmer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 19, 2009 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Glasco, KS
- Destination
- NONE · Glasco, KS
- Airport
- NONE · Palmer Field
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
- 79
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 19, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 127 in this make and model · 2,200 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- CNK
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 2, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 603 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.