# NTSB DEN89LA158: Cessna 150M, N6318K, Bountiful, UT, July 7, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 7, 1989, 08:39 local (14:39 UTC)
- Place: Bountiful, UT
- Coordinates: 40.889873, -111.929321 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8899&lon=-111.9293&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report April 19, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17736
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN89LA158
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17736/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN89LA158

## Probable cause

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SPEED FOR THE TURNING MANEUVER (TO AVOID AN OBSTACLE) AND INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER UUSE OF THE FLAPS, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND A HIGH OBSTRUCTION.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - touch-and-go - initiated
  - raising of flaps - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - high obstruction(s) (contributing factor)
  - maneuver - initiated
  - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

AFTER MAKING A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING, THE PLT BEGAN A TAKEOFF WITH 10 DEG OF FLAPS. THE FLT MANUAL RCMDD TAKEOFFS BE MADE WITH THE FLAPS FULLY RETRACTED, EXCEPT FOR SHORT FIELD TAKEOFFS OR TAKEOFFS ON SOFT OR ROUGH FIELDS WITH NO OBSTACLES AHEAD. THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER CLIMBING TO ABOUT 300' AGL, HE NOTED THE ACFT WAS NOT CLIMBING PROPERLY & THAT THE ENG DID NOT SEEM TO BE PROVIDING FULL POWER. HE DID NOT CHECK THE ENG INSTRUMENTS TO VERIFY THE ENG PERFORMANCE. HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO ACCELERATE & STARTED A RIGHT TURN TO AVOID AN OBSTACLE. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ACFT STALLED, THEN CRASHED BEFORE THE PILOT COULD RECOVER FROM A DESCENT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ENG WAS DEVELOPING POWER AT IMPACT. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ARPT WAS APRX 6500'.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6318K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6318K-1998-11-18), registration cancelled 1998-11-18, S/N 15077640 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150M
- Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15077640
- Airframe hours: 3403
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Hadenbach, Bill, doing business as Spitfire Leasing
- Registered owner: Spitfire Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 22, 1988, 98 hours before
- Airport: BTF, Salt Lake Skypark, runway 34, 4,700 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 44; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 37 total, 37 in this make and model, 26 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: SLC, 5 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19890707034219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890707034219A), Jul 7, 1989: Cessna 150M, Bountiful, UT, Destroyed. Used flaps on takeoff, unable to climb. Stalled making turn to avoid obstacles. Factors flaps and density altitude.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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