CHI07CA192

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150M · Muncie, IN · July 6, 2007

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 6, 2007, 18:45 local (22:45 UTC)
Place
Muncie, IN
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N7693UCessna 150M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 30, 2007
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20070706015959A
Case key
66245

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed, resulting in a stall/mush during an attempted aborted landing. A factor in the accident was the premature flare and the pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Flare - prematurePilot in commandFactor
Recovery from bounced landing - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
Terrain condition - runway
In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding - aborted
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Terrain condition - grass
Stall/mush - encounteredPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during an aborted landing attempt on runway 32 (6,500 feet by 150 feet, grooved asphalt). The student pilot reported that prior to the accident she had completed one full stop landing with her instructor. The instructor then exited the airplane to allow the student pilot to perform three solo landings. On the first solo landing, the student pilot reported that she turned final and selected 40 degrees of flaps. She reduced engine power once she "knew that [she] had the runway made." The student pilot reported that she "flared too soon," the airplane "landed hard," and bounced back into the air. The student pilot added engine power and the airplane "ballooned up more." The student pilot decided to abort the landing, so she added full engine power and "started dumping the flaps." She stated that the airplane wouldn't climb and drifted left of the runway. The airplane descended and impacted terrain off of the side of the runway. The student pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The student pilot stated in her accident report that the accident could have been prevented by practicing more aborted landing procedures.

Factual narrative

The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during an aborted landing attempt on runway 32 (6,500 feet by 150 feet, grooved asphalt). The student pilot reported that prior to the accident she had completed one full stop landing with her instructor. The instructor then exited the airplane to allow the student pilot to perform three solo landings. On the first solo landing, the student pilot reported that she turned final and selected 40 degrees of flaps. She reduced engine power once she "knew that [she] had the runway made." The student pilot reported that she "flared too soon," the airplane "landed hard," and bounced back into the air. The student pilot added engine power and the airplane "ballooned up more." The student pilot decided to abort the landing, so she added full engine power and "started dumping the flaps." She stated that the airplane wouldn't climb and drifted left of the runway. The airplane descended and impacted terrain off of the side of the runway. The student pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The student pilot stated in her accident report that the accident could have been prevented by practicing more aborted landing procedures.

Aircraft

Registration
N7693U
Reported as
Cessna 150M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15077819
Airframe hours
12,452
Engine
Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Prop Boys Aviation LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · May 1, 2007
Departed
MIE · Muncie, IN
Airport
MIE · Delaware County-Johnson Field, runway 32, 6,500 × 150 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
Student pilot
Age
36
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 1, 2007
Seat
Left
Flight hours
41 total · 39 in this make and model · 0 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
320° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 66 °F
Altimeter
30.02 inHg
Observed at
MIE

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.