- Date
- June 15, 2007, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bellaire, MI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N23117Cessna 150H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070615014679A
- Case key
- 66198
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
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the deer fence.
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 was substantially damaged when it impacted a deer fence and terrain during an approach to landing on runway 20 (5,000 feet by 100 feet, asphalt). Turning base to final, the pilot noticed the airplane was low and appeared to be sinking too quickly. The pilot tried to increase engine power, but the engine did not respond. The airplane struck a 10 to 12 foot high deer fence surrounding the airport and the aircraft subsequently impacted terrain. A post-accident inspection of the airplane and engine revealed no preexisting anomalies. According to the carburetor icing probability chart, the temperature and dewpoint at the time of the accident was conducive to severe carburetor icing at descent power settings. Temperature was 28 degrees C, dewpoint was 16 degrees C. The pilot reporting using carburetor heat during the approach to landing.
Factual narrative
The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted a deer fence and terrain during an approach to landing on runway 20 (5,000 feet by 100 feet, asphalt). The pilot stated that while turning base leg to final, she noticed that the airplane was too low and appeared to be sinking too fast. She reported that she tried to increase engine power, but the engine did not respond. The airplane then struck a 10 to 12 foot high deer fence surrounding the airport and subsequently impacted terrain short of the runway.
A post accident inspection of the engine and airplane was conducted. The following items were noted and inspected: 1) In the cockpit, the throttle and mixture were found in the full forward (full throttle and full rich) position and the carburetor heat was found in the off position; 2) the carburetor heat was cold (off) at the carburetor air box; 3) the spark plugs were clean and showed no fouling; 4) a "thumb" compression test of the cylinders exhibited compression and suction; 5) both magnetos sparked during a spark test; 6) fuel was found in the main fuel strainer; 7) no fuel was found in the carburetor, the carburetor bowl, or the fuel line going to the carburetor; 8) the fuel strainer and carburetor fuel screens were clean; 9) the oil filter was clean; and 10) the exhaust system had no loose baffles.
According to the carburetor icing probability chart, the temperature and dewpoint at the time of the accident showed that serious carburetor icing while using descent power settings was possible. The pilot reported using the carburetor heat during the approach to landing.
Weather conditions recorded near the time of the accident were: Wind 200 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky condition clear, temperature 28 degrees Celsius (C), dewpoint 16 degrees C, altimeter setting 30.04 inches of mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23117
- Reported as
- Cessna 150H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15068736
- Airframe hours
- 6,527.87
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental 0-200-A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Benz Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2007
- Departed
- Y70 · Ionia, MI
- Destination
- Bellaire, MI
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- ACB · Antrim County, runway 20, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 28
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 67 in this make and model · 45 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KACB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.