# NTSB CEN13CA485: Cessna 150D, N4281U, Hermleigh, TX, August 4, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 4, 2013, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Hermleigh, TX - Coordinates: 32.581665, -100.763336 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5817&lon=-100.7633&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 2, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Lubbock FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 87764 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13CA485 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87764/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87764 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA485 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper positional awareness, which resulted in an off airport landing and impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=2071802), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2071802), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 150, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2071802), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2071802), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 150, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071802), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he held a helicopter rating and he was receiving flight instruction to add an airplane single engine land rating to his private pilot certificate. He was on a solo cross country flight and had been inflight for about three hours when he became disoriented and was unable to find an airport. Because of his low fuel situation the pilot elected to make a precautionary off field landing to an unpaved road. After touchdown, directional control was lost and the airplane impacted an embankment on the side of the road resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he held a rating in only helicopter and he was receiving instruction to add an airplane single engine land rating to his private pilot certificate. He was on a solo cross country flight and had been inflight for about three hours when he became disoriented and was unable to find an airport. Because of his low fuel situation the pilot elected to make a precautionary off field landing to an unpaved road. After touchdown, directional control was lost and the airplane impacted an embankment on the side of the road resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4281U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4281U), registered now, S/N 15060281, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150D - Registry model: [Cessna 150](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150) (registry code 2071802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15060281 - Year built: 1963 - Airframe hours: 5710 - Engines: CONTINENTAL 0-200 Series 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: US Flight Academy International Inc, doing business as U S Flight Academy - Registered owner: Frank B Washburn Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, August 21, 2012, 54 hours before - Departed: ABI, ABILENE, TX - Destination: BPG, BIG SPRING, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; private; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 22, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 185 total, 14 in this make and model, 91 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 11 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 100 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: KSNK, 11 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 20130804014169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130804014169A), Aug 4, 2013: Cessna 150, Hermleigh, TX, Substantial damage. A helicopter rated private pilot with 185 flight hours was flying a single engine land airplane under solo privileges with 14 hours of experience. He became… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 22, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87764. 793 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 793 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40398648&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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.