CHI98LA265

The airplane was landing on runway 27. The recorded winds were 260 at 17 knots with gusts to 25 knots. The airplane was observed to nose up and then the right wing came up and the airplane descended into the terrain. The pilot told officials that he did not compensate for gusts and the airplane entered an inadvertent stall. He said he initiated a recovery, but was unable to regain control prior to impact with the terrain.

On July 21, 1998, at 1215 central daylight time, a Cessna 150J, N50930, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage while attempting to land on runway 27 (6,501' X 150' dry/asphalt), at Gogebic-Iron County Airport, near Ironwood, Michigan. The pilot received serious injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Cumberland, Wisconsin, at 1030.

Witnesses said that the airplane was attempting to land on runway 27. They said that the prevailing wind at the time of the accident was gusting. They estimated the airplane was about 40 to 50 feet above they observed the nose of the airplane to rise and then the right wing to go up. They heard an application of power just prior to impact with the terrain.

The pilot told Federal Aviation Administration inspectors that he was slow in reacting to the wind gust and the airplane stalled. He said he applied full power, but was unable to recover prior to impact with the terrain. The pilot did not indicate that there were any mechanical problems with the airplane.

An examination of the airplane subsequent to the accident confirmed continuity of the flight and engine controls. No pre-accident anomalies were found during the inspection.