CHI96LA166

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150 · Mcgregor, MN · May 18, 1996

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 18, 1996, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
Place
Mcgregor, MN
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N3750VCessna 150
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 25, 1996
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19960518026489A
Case key
10253

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 nose gear collapsed when it hit a soft spot in the runway.

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.

Nose gear collapsedLanding - roll
Airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - softCause
Landing gear,nose gear - overload

Analysis

The pilot reported that he had called to determine the condition of the runway the day before the flight and was told that the runway condition presented 'no problem.' The pilot reported that he had landed at the McGregor Airport at 0730 CDT on runway 15. At 1330 CDT he departed runway 33 to refuel at Aitkin, Minnesota. He returned to McGregor at 1400 CDT and landed on runway 33. The pilot reported that he made a short/soft field landing. The pilot reported that when the nose wheel touched down, it hit a soft spot in the grass runway and collapsed. An examination of runway 33 revealed that it had soft spots and standing water.

Factual narrative

On May 18, 1996, at 1500 central daylight time (CDT), a Cessna 150, N3750V, operated by Multiflight, Inc., sustained substantial damage during landing roll when the nose gear collapsed and the left wing spar was damaged. The private pilot and the passenger were not injured. The 14 CFR 91 flight had departed Aitkin Municipal Airport, Aitkin, Minnesota, and had landed at Isedor Iverson Airport, McGregor, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that he had called the McGregor City Hall on May 17, 1996, to check the condition of the runway, and was told that the runway condition was, "no problem." The pilot reported that he landed at the McGregor Airport on May 18, 1996, at 0730 CDT on runway 15. At 1330 CDT he departed runway 33 to refuel at Aitkin, Minnesota. He returned to McGregor at 1400 CDT and landed on runway 33. The pilot reported that he made a short/soft field landing. The pilot reported that when the nose wheel touched down, it hit a soft spot in the grass runway and collapsed.

An Operations Inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration reported that he noted soft spots and standing water on runway 33 at the McGregor Airport.

Aircraft

Registration
N3750V
Reported as
Cessna 150
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15076610
Airframe hours
4,772
Engine
Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Registered owner
Multiflight, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 17, 1995 · 97 hours before
Departed
AIT · Aitkin, MN
Destination
17Y
Airport
17Y · Isedor Iverson Airport, runway 33, 2,500 × 75 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
49
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
410 total · 300 in this make and model · 354 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
230° at 11 knots, gusting 20
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 48 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
AIT, 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.