- Date
- June 28, 1998, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Osceola, WI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N50433Cessna 150H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980628015149A
- Case key
- 10940
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 student pilot's incomplete preflight, and the instructor pilot's inadequate supervision of the student's preflight. Factors were the fuel contaminated with water, and the roadway encountered during the forced landing rollout.
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
In the written statement the instructor said that during the preflight the student found water in the fuel. He indicated that there was additional fuel drawn in an attempt to remove the water. He said he was confident that no water was left in the system. After conducting some touch and go landings, and during initial climb, the engine suffered a total loss of power. A forced landing was conducted in an area where the airplane impacted a roadway and nosed over. A subsequent examination of the gascolator found about 80% water contained in the sample drawn from that location.
Factual narrative
On June 28, 1998, at 1545 central daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N50433, experienced a loss of engine power during an initial climb during takeoff from the Osceola Airport, Osceola, Wisconsin. The flight instructor pilot and commercial pilot (student) received minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The aircraft was being operated as an instructional flight under 14 CFR Part 91 and had been performing touch & go landings. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight was departing with the intended destination of Blaine, Minnesota, when the accident occurred..
According to a written statement by the pilot, water was found while draining fuel during the pre-flight check. Several sumps were performed to remove water and contaminants from the fuel. The pilot stated they were very confident no water could be left in the system. After performing a touch and go landing at Osceola, Wisconsin, at 200 feet the engine sputtered and quit. The instructor took over the controls and conducted a forced landing. On rollout, the airplane impacted a road and nosed over.
During a subsequent post accident investigation, a fuel sample taken from the gascolator revealed approximately 80% water in the sample. The inspector's report is attached as an addendum to this report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50433
- Reported as
- Cessna 150H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15069300
- Airframe hours
- 4,025
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gail Erickson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 27, 1998 · 37 hours before
- Departed
- OEO · Osceola, WI
- Destination
- ANE · Blane, MN
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
- 36
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,868 total · 3 in this make and model · 1,777 as pilot in command · 288 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 17 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MSP, 24 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 N50433 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.