CEN15LA114

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150G · Pontiac, IL · January 9, 2015

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
January 9, 2015, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Pontiac, IL
Injuries
1 minor, 1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N2871SCessna 150G
Defining event
Landing-aborted after touchdown: Loss of engine power (total)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 24, 2015
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA-Springfield FSDO
FAA report
20150109000129A
Case key
90631

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The flight instructor’s loss of directional control during an attempted go-around with a crosswind. Contributing to the accident was the loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during examination of the engine.

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.

Not determinedNot determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determinedCessna 150G: 3 casesAll aircraft: 2,247 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilotCessna 150G: 17 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: yaw controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 150G: 1 caseAll aircraft: 149 casesProbable cause

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

According to the flight instructor, the student pilot was attempting to land the airplane but conducted an attempted go-around. The flight instructor then took control of the airplane. The student pilot reported that, as the flight instructor was attempting the second landing, the airplane bounced, at which time, the flight instructor initiated a go-around. The flight instructor reported that the engine then began to sputter and that, when he turned off the carburetor heat, the engine quit as the airplane was about 5 ft above the ground. He further stated that a right crosswind pushed the airplane to the left and that he subsequently attempted to land the airplane in a field left of the runway; however, the landing gear sunk into the snow, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. Examination of the airplane, engine, and carburetor revealed no anomalies. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. Based on the available information, it is likely that the flight instructor lost directional control during the attempted go-around, which resulted in an off-runway landing and a subsequent nose-over.

Factual narrative

On January 9, 2015, about 1100 central standard time, a Cessna 150G airplane, N2871S, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground and nosed over following a loss of engine power during a go-around from runway 24 at the Pontiac Municipal Airport (PNT), Pontiac, Illinois. The flight instructor was not injured and the student pilot reported minor injuries. The airplane sustained damage to the wing, vertical stabilizer and rudder. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Griffith Aviation under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Griffith-Merrillville Airport (05C), Griffith, Indiana, about 1000.The student pilot reported that they were making a straight in approach to runway 24 at PNT. At this time the student pilot was manipulating the airplane controls. The attempted landing resulted in a go-around and the flight instructor took control of the airplane. Another landing attempt was made with the flight instructor manipulating the controls and the student observing. During the landing the airplane "was not steady and would bounce". The flight instructor attempted a go-around and advanced the throttle control. During the climb, the student pilot heard "a sound," and the airplane veered to the left and stopped climbing. He said that when the airplane touched down it flipped over. The flight instructor reported that while performing a go-around, the engine began to sputter. He stated that when he pushed the carburetor heat control forward, the engine quit. He stated that this occurred when the airplane was about 5 ft above ground level. The right crosswind pushed the airplane to the left. The flight instructor attempted to land in a field to the right of the runway but the airplane landing gear sunk into the snow and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane failed to reveal any defects although the wings had been removed for transport and the engine had been removed in preparation for examination. A complete teardown examination of the airplane's engine was performed following the accident. No defects were found. The carburetor was disassembled and the fuel bowl was clean and no defects were noted. The weather conditions at the accident airport at 1055 were: Wind 290 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 26 knots; 10 statute miles visibility; overcast ceiling at 2,200 feet above ground level; temperature -14 degrees Celsius; dew point -18 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 30.38 inches of mercury. According to a carburetor icing probability graph, the recorded temperature and dew point were outside of the range of susceptibility for carburetor icing. The runway used for the attempted landing, runway 24, was 5,000 ft long and 75 ft wide. The student pilot reported that there was no snow or ice on the runway, but there were snow banks along the sides ofthe runway.

Aircraft

Registration
N2871S
Reported as
Cessna 150G (UNDESIGNAT)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15066771
Built
1967
Airframe hours
7,409
Engine
Cont Motor O-200 SERIES, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Griffith Aviation Inc
Registered owner
Griffith Aviation Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · December 9, 2014 · 30 hours before
Departed
05C · Griffith, IN
Destination
PNT · Pontiac, IL
Airport
PNT · Pontiac Muni, runway 24, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Stall warning system

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
22
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
September 12, 2014
Seat
Right
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
500 total · 190 in this make and model · 400 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days
Role
Student pilot
Age
20
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
22.2 total · 19.3 in this make and model · 0.5 as pilot in command · 22.2 in the last 90 days · 3.5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 20 knots, gusting 26
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
2,200 ft overcast
Temperature
7 °F, dew point -0 °F
Altimeter
30.37 inHg
Observed at
PNT

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 28, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 MB 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.