- Date
- August 21, 2003, 11:10 local (17:10 UTC)
- Place
- Laramie, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8065FCessna 150F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20030821020339A
- Case key
- 57746
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
A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing factors were the high density altitude, trees, mountainous terrain, and unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing.
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
According to the pilot, the airplane was in cruise flight at 10,500 feet when the engine began to run "rough." The power dropped below 2,000 rpm, and the pilot's effort was unsuccessful in restoring power. The pilot made a forced landing in mountainous terrain. The airplane struck several trees, substantially damaging both wings. Density altitude was calculated to be 10,312 feet msl. The engine was later functionally tested to 2,475 rpm. No anomalies were found.
Factual narrative
On August 21, 2003, approximately 1110 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 150F, N8065F, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees during a forced landing 30 miles west of Laramie, Wyoming. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Skypark Airport, Bountiful, Utah, approximately 0800.
According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight at 10,500 feet when the engine began running "rough." Power dropped below 2,000 rpm. He tried but was unable to restore full power, and made a forced landing in mountainous terrain. The airplane struck several trees, destroying both wings and bending the main spar.
Density altitude at Laramie was calculated to be 10,312 feet msl.
On September 24, 2003, the engine was functionally tested to 2,475 rpm. The magnetos were tested and functioned normally. No mechanical anomalies were noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8065F
- Reported as
- Cessna 150F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15064165
- Airframe hours
- 5,325
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gordon L. Hyde II
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 18, 2003 · 29 hours before
- Departed
- BTF · Bountiful, UT
- Destination
- LAR · Laramie, WY
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
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 28, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 30 in this make and model · 450 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.36 inHg
- Observed at
- LAR, 32 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 N8065F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.