- Date
- April 22, 2007, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Paw Paw, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8893SCessna 150F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070422009059A
- Case key
- 65678
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 student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions while on final approach. Contributing factors to the accident were the gusting wind conditions 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 impacted trees and terrain while on final approach. The pilot stated that he was landing on a private grass airstrip toward the north. The pilot described the weather as a "clear day, but with high winds." The pilot reported that while on final approach he encountered "wind shear straight down." The pilot stated that the airplane "clipped the tree tops" before impacting terrain. The pilot reported the airplane came to rest along a tree line near the west edge of the north-south runway. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had not attempted flight in the high/gusting wind conditions or by entering final approach at a higher altitude. The wind conditions at an airport approximately 15 nautical miles from the accident site were reported to be from 200 magnetic degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The pilot's medical and student pilot certificate had expired 20 months prior to the accident. The pilot's most recent 90-day solo endorsement was dated September 17, 2003.
Factual narrative
The airplane impacted trees and terrain while on final approach. The pilot stated that he was landing on a private grass airstrip toward the north. The pilot described the weather as a "clear day, but with high winds." The pilot reported that while on final approach he encountered "wind shear straight down." The pilot stated that the airplane "clipped the tree tops" before impacting terrain. The pilot reported the airplane came to rest along a tree line near the west edge of the north-south runway. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had not attempted flight in the high/gusting wind conditions or by entering final approach at a higher altitude. The wind conditions at an airport approximately 15 nautical miles from the accident site were reported to be from 200 magnetic degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The pilot's medical and student pilot certificate had expired 20 months prior to the accident. The pilot's most recent 90-day solo endorsement was dated September 17, 2003.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8893S
- Reported as
- Cessna 150F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15062193
- Airframe hours
- 5,083
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2006
- Departed
- 7MI2 · Paw Paw, MI
- Destination
- 7MI2
- Airport
- 7MI2 · Beckman Airport, runway 35, 2,600 × 50 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
- 52
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 372 total · 200 in this make and model · 372 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- AZO, 15 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.
Other investigations on N8893S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.