- Date
- February 1, 1997, 16:35 local (21:35 UTC)
- Place
- Dowagiac, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4655XCessna 150G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970201001059A
- Case key
- 10516
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 failure to maintain directional control. A factor was the snowbank.
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 student pilot was conducting solo touch-and-go landings. While in the transition from a landing to takeoff, directional control was lost. The pilot attempted to continue the takeoff; however, the landing gear contacted a snowbank and the airplane nosed over.
Factual narrative
On February 1, 1997, at 1635 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150G, N4655X, sustained substantial damage during a nose over during takeoff on runway 27 (4700' x 100' dry/asphalt) at Dowagiac, Michigan. The solo student pilot was conducting touch and go landings when the airplane exited the runway to the left and impacted a snowbank. The pilot reported no injuries. The local 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight originated about 1510.
The student pilot said that during the transition from a landing to takeoff, the airplane "veered" left. He said he then attempted a "soft field" takeoff, in an attempt to get the airplane airborne; however, the landing gear contacted a snowbank and the airplane nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4655X
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15064705
- Airframe hours
- 4,000
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John C. Amundsen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 30, 1996
- Departed
- C91
- Airport
- C91 · Dowagiac Municipal, runway 27, 4,700 × 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
- 44
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 47 total · 42 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KBE, 16 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.
Other investigations on N4655X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.