- Date
- March 17, 1994, 18:00 local (Mar 18, 1994, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Independence, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9396ACessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940317006029A
- Case key
- 9490
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
were the premature lift-off, and the failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane.
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 pilot was attempting a takeoff from a soft field about one mile south of the Independence Memorial Airport, Independence, Missouri. During the takeoff attempt, the right main landing gear and right wing struck the ground after lift-off. The airplane then spun around and slid into the river. The previous day the airplane had experienced a loss of engine power and the pilot had made a forced landing in the field without damage to the airplane. The number 1 cylinder was changed in the field, and the pilot was attempting to fly the airplane out when the accident occurred.
Factual narrative
On March 17, 1994, at 1800 central standard time, a Cessna 150M, N9396A, sustained substantial damage during an attempted off-airport takeoff from a field one mile south of the Independence Memorial Airport, Independence, Missouri. The commercial pilot was not injured. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The previous day, the engine had a loss of power after takeoff, and the pilot made a forced landing in the field south of the airport without damage to the airplane. The number 1 cylinder was replaced with the airplane still in the field. The pilot was attempting to fly the airplane out of the field when the accident occurred. A witness stated the right main landing gear and the right wing contacted the ground, after lift-off, during the takeoff attempt. The airplane then rotated 180 degrees and slid into the river.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9396A
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 150-78550
- Airframe hours
- 3,492
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Helverson, Donald
- Registered owner
- Vesta Ailshire
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 1, 1993 · 92 hours before
- Airport
- 3IP · Independence Memorial
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
- 58
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,127 total · 3,500 in this make and model · 7,047 as pilot in command · 92 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MKC, 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.