- Date
- September 17, 2023, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- South Saint Paul, MN · Grassy area adjacent to the runway
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6398GCessna 150K
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- 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
- FAA report
- 20230917016179A
- Case key
- 193125
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 inadvertent brake application during takeoff which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper seat position.
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 pilot reported that he was performing touch-and-go landings. After the first landing and during the takeoff roll, he experienced difficulty maintaining directional control of the airplane and aborted the takeoff. The pilot taxied the airplane back to the runway and departed again. After landing, the pilot applied full power for takeoff and the airplane veered right of the runway centerline. He applied brakes as the airplane exited the runway and impacted a taxiway sign. The airplane came to rest in a grassy area adjacent to the runway and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot noted that he positioned his seat too far forward which prevented him from differentiating between rudder and brake inputs. He further stated that if he had used an additional seat cushion, he could have positioned the pilot’s seat further aft and prevented the inadvertent brake inputs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6398G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 150-71898
- Built
- 1970
- Airframe hours
- 5,786.8
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Crowned Eagle Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 13, 2023
- Airport
- KSGS · South St. Paul Municipal Airport, runway 16, 4,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, Unknown
- Last flight review
- July 11, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 354.6 total · 7.7 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KSGS
- METAR
- KSGS 171755Z AUTO 33003KT 10SM SCT031 BKN042 BKN048 19/10 A3011 RMK AO2 T01930102 10200 20107
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 12, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 917 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.
Other investigations on N6398G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.