- Date
- September 22, 1994, 19:00 local (Sep 23, 1994, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- New Town, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6685FCessna 150G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940922030709A
- Case key
- 9697
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 pilot's improper use of wing flaps and premature lift-off. The pilot's poor preflight preparation was a factor.
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 attempted a takeoff from a road. During the takeoff roll he inadvertently lowered the flaps full down. When the airplane topped a hill and was in danger of colliding with a farm truck the airplane became airborne, but was unable to continue flight and impacted the terrain.
Factual narrative
On September 22, 1994, at 1900 central daylight time, a Cessna 150G, N6685F, owned by Ronald C. Tangsrud of Wildrose, North Dakota, and operated by a private pilot, departed controlled flight and collided with terrain during initial climb while taking off from a road near New Town, North Dakota. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no injuries. The business 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight was departing with the intended destination of Wildrose, North Dakota.
The pilot stated that during takeoff roll he intended to deploy ten degrees of flap; however, "... the flaps would not shut off."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who talked to the pilot and a witness to the accident stated that when the airplane topped a rise in the road and was faced with an imminent collision with a farm truck the airplane became airborne, but was unable to continue flight and impacted the terrain.
The FAA inspector examined the accident airplane, subsequent to the accident paying particular attention to the flap switch. The switch arrangement in the airplane consisted of a center off with momentary "Up" and momentary "Down" positions. The inspector stated that the switch worked properly in all positions, the spring tension was good in both directions, and that he could find no mechanical or electrical fault with the switch in any position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6685F
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15063285
- Airframe hours
- 4,040
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tangsrud, Ronald C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 31, 1993 · 45 hours before
- Destination
- NONE · Wildrose, ND
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,450 total · 270 in this make and model · 1,444 as pilot in command · 92 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.