- Date
- June 10, 2008, 12:50 local (17:50 UTC)
- Place
- Brenham, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4691RCessna 150G
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- Case key
- 68204
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 sudden windshift (crosswind gust), rendering directional control impossible. Contributing factors in this accident were the high speed during the aborted takeoff and trees.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot said he checked the weather and radar and noted "a few small showers in the area, nothing close." He said the airport was surrounded by 15-20 foot trees that jut out from the perimeter of the airport towards the runway. There was a 10-knot crosswind, so the pilot selected runway 16 "since it has a down slope." He used a crosswind takeoff procedure. When he rotated, "a tremendous gust of wind hit the aircraft from the rear-left quarter and forced the aircraft sideways off the runway and towards some trees" near the runway. The pilot aborted the takeoff but was unable to stop the airplane and it collided with the trees. According to the airport's AWOS, the wind was from 100 degrees at 5 knots, with "lightning distant east and southeast."
Factual narrative
On June 10, 2008, approximately 1250 central daylight time, a Cessna 150G, N4691R, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when it struck a grove of trees following a loss of control during takeoff from Brenham Municipal Airport (11R), Brenham, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The aerial observation flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. The cross-country flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Conroe, Texas (CXO).
In his accident report, the pilot said he checked the weather and radar and noted "a few small showers in the area, nothing close." He said the airport was surrounded by 15 to 20-foot trees that "jut out from the perimeter of the airport towards the runway." There was a 10 knot crosswind, so the pilot selected runway 16 "since it has a down slope." He used a crosswind takeoff procedure. When he rotated, "a tremendous gust of wind hit the aircraft from the rear-left quarter and forced the aircraft sideways off the runway and towards some trees" near the runway. The pilot aborted the takeoff but was unable to stop the airplane and it collided with the trees.
According to the 11R AWOS (Automated Weather Observation Station) report at 1246, the wind was from 100 degrees at 5 knots, with "lightning distant east and southeast."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4691R
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15064741
- Airframe hours
- 6,339
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- American Views, Inc.
- Registered owner
- A&G Aircraft Leasing, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2008 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- 11R · Brenham, TX
- Destination
- CXO · Conroe, TX
- Airport
- 11R · Brenham Municipal, runway 16, 5,496 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,474 total · 625 in this make and model · 1,432 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- 11R