- Date
- June 10, 2021, 20:28 local (Jun 11, 2021, 00:28 UTC)
- Place
- Muncie, IN · Grass strip at 7180S County Road 300 W, Muncie, IN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- UNREGCessna 150H
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 103249
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 non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control on departure in high density altitude conditions which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 5
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
A pilot-rated witness reported that the non-certificated pilot shortly after taking off from a 1,200 ft private grass airstrip, was starting a turn to the north to avoid trees when the airplane “stalled, fell sideways from the sky”, and impacted the ground left wing first, followed by the airplane’s nose and then the right wing. The witness said that the airplane appeared underpowered for the hot and humid weather conditions. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. A post-accident examination by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The density altitude at the time of the accident was 3,314 ft. The airstrip elevation was 937 ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Cessna 150H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15068432
- Built
- 1968
- Engine
- Continental O-200, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- PVT · Private, runway East, 1,200 × 0 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Unknown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 81
- Injuries
- Serious
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 130 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- KMIE, 7 nm away
- METAR
- KMIE 102353Z 09004KT 10SM CLR 31/18 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP099 T03060183 10317 20278 56010
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 960 KB in all.