- Date
- June 9, 2001, 20:15 local (Jun 10, 2001, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- Milltown, WI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5919TCessna 150D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20010609018989A
- Case key
- 52476
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 stall/mush encountered by the pilot during that takeoff. Factors were the pilot's excessive lowering of the flaps during the takeoff and the trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with trees and terrain during climbout. The pilot reported minor injuries. The pilot stated, "No recollection of the accident." A witness stated, "He lifted off about midway and began to climb but he seemed to be a bit slow for a climb. The plane banked slightly to the left away from the tallest tree and then lost altitude and disappeared from my view behind another fence row. I did not observe it flying again and ran to the woods where I suspected I would find the plane. ... My recollection is that the flaps were near full extension as he attempted to climb as they remain now after the crash, probably the same position they were in when he landed the first time." A Cessna 150 manual was reviewed. The manual stated, "Flap deflections of 30 [degrees] and 40 [degrees] are not recommended at any time for take-off."
Factual narrative
On June 9, 2001, about 2015 central daylight time, a Cessna 150D, N5919T, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with trees and terrain during climbout from a private field near Milltown, Wisconsin. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot reported minor injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated, "No recollection of the accident."
A witness stated:
I was nearly done mowing and observed the second takeoff from about midway
on the 1300 foot grass headland of my bean field. He lifted off about
midway and began to climb but he seemed to be a bit slow for a climb. The
plane banked slightly to the left away from the tallest tree and then lost
altitude and disappeared from my view behind another fence row. I did not
observe it flying again and ran to the woods where I suspected I would
find the plane. The wings were badly damaged and the plane was pointing
west, opposite of my last observation, with the undamaged tail in a tree
but engine and propeller in the ground, nose gear was broken off, but main
wheels had apparently not touched the ground in the crash. [The pilot]
was hanging out of the left door, bleeding from his left eye and not
conscious. Due to the gasoline leaking and my fear of a fire I turned off
the electrical switch and carefully removed him from the cockpit by
unfastening his lap belt and getting his feet from under the rudder
peddles and easing him to a safe place about 6 feet away. From my cell
phone I finally contacted the 911 people (I had attempted a call before
reaching the site but got no answer) and help was quite quick to arrive
but to me of course they seemed rather slow. ... The time of my 911 call
is recorded in the cell phone as 8:23 PM.
My recollection is that the flaps were near full extension as he attempted
to climb and as they remain now after the crash, probably the same position
they were in when he landed the first time.
A Cessna 150 manual was reviewed. The manual stated, "Flap deflections of 30 [degrees] and 40 [degrees] are not recommended at any time for take-off."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5919T
- Reported as
- Cessna 150D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15060619
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Melvin McKenzie
- Registered owner
- Russell Vennes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Milltown, WI
- Airport
- Private Airstrip, runway 18, 1,300 × ft, grass/turf
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
- 70
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- RPD, 32 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.