- Date
- June 26, 2011, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Winter Haven, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N18735Cessna 150L
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110626011479A
- Case key
- 80901
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 certified flight instructor's failure to maintain control during the attempted go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 2
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 student pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) were conducting takeoffs and landings at the accident airport. While on approach for landing, the CFI initiated a go-around; the airplane then descended and impacted a grassy area off the side of the runway. A witness who observed the accident stated that the airplane was slow and approximately 100 feet left of the runway when the go-around was initiated. She stated that the engine sounded as though it was producing full power. She observed the airplane descend as the wing flaps were retracted before impacting the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both left and right wings. A postaccident inspection revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The student pilot and certificated flight instructor (CFI) were conducting takeoffs and landings at the accident airport. While on approach for landing, the CFI initiated a go-around, the airplane descended, and impacted a grassy area off the side of the runway. A witness who observed the accident stated that the airplane was slow and approximately 100 feet left of the runway when the go-around was initiated. She stated that the engine sounded as though it was producing full power. She observed the airplane descend as the wing flaps were retracted before impacting the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both left and right wings. Post accident inspection by the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as representatives from the airframe and engine manufacturers, revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N18735
- Reported as
- Cessna 150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15074073
- Airframe hours
- 3,216
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200 SERIES, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Tailwheels, Etc.
- Registered owner
- Steve Chervenak
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 20, 2011
- Departed
- GIF · Winter Haven, FL
- Destination
- GIF · Winter Haven, FL
- Airport
- GIF · Gilbert Airport, runway 29, 4,001 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 26
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 25 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- GIF
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.