- Date
- March 3, 2003, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Gateway, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N714NFCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20030303002119A
- Case key
- 56606
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the snow-covered runway.
Analysis
The pilot decided to land on an unimproved dirt strip. The approach was to the south and uphill. There was "light snow on the runway with vegetation showing on both sides of the runway." The flaps were extended an indeterminate amount and power was reduced. The stall warning horn sounded as the airplane settled to the runway. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear. As the nose gear settled to the runway, "the left main gear hit a patch of snow or mud and grabbed." Right rudder and aileron control inputs were applied in an attempt to maintain directional control. The right main landing gear "hit some snow" and the airplane tipped up on its left wingtip and propeller spinner before nosing over.
Factual narrative
On March 3, 2003, approximately 1100 mountain standard time, a Cessna 150M, N714NF, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing roll at the Delores Point Airstrip, Gateway, Colorado. The pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Mack, Colorado, approximately 1030.
The following is based on a telephone conversation with the pilot and the accident report he submitted. The approach was to the south, landing uphill. There was "light snow on the runway with vegetation showing on both sides of the runway." The flaps were extended an indeterminate amount and power was reduced. The stall warning horn sounded as the airplane settled to the runway. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear. As the nose gear settled to the runway, "the left main gear hit a patch of snow or mud and grabbed." Right rudder and aileron ontrol inputs were applied in an attempt to maintain directional control. The right main landing gear "hit some snow" and the airplane tipped up on its left wingtip and propeller spinner before nosing over.
According to the pilot, the left wing rear spar was bent.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N714NF
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 150-79298
- Airframe hours
- 1,501
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth F. Blumenthal
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 16, 2002 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- C07 · Mack, CO
- Destination
- NONE · Gateway, CO
- Airport
- NONE · Delores Point, runway 14, 6,000 × 100 ft, snow
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- January 30, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,653 total · 732 in this make and model · 1,591 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- GJT, 55 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.