ERA13LA095

The flight instructor reported that, while returning to his home base airport, the airplane had an electrical power failure, and, subsequently, the flaps would not fully extend. The airplane was high and fast on short final approach, and it touched down about 300 to 400 feet from the departure end of the runway. The flight instructor was unable to stop the airplane, and it overran the runway, went down an embankment, and collided with trees. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of an electrical power failure. The battery was checked with a battery meter, and the battery held a charge. Control continuity was established for all of the flight controls. The flaps were operated with battery power only, and full up and down travel was achieved. An examination of the brakes revealed that they operated normally. No other anomalies were noted with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

On December 20, 2012, about 1530 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150J, N50757, was substantially damaged following a runway overrun at Goose Creek Airport (28A), Indian Trail, North Carolina. The flight instructor and student pilot were uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Bamert Aviation LLC under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from 28A at 1400. According to the flight instructor, he was on an instructional flight with a student pilot and was returning to the home base airport. He went on to say that during the approach to land, the airplane had an electrical power failure. Due to the electrical failure, he was unable to fully extend the flaps and entered the traffic pattern with approximately 8 degrees of flaps deployed. He said that the airplane was high and fast on short final, and the airplane touched down approximately 300-400 feet from the departure end of the runway. He applied the brakes and was unable to stop the airplane. The airplane overran the runway, went down an embankment and collided with trees. The student pilot was 13 years of age, and his statement was consistent with the flight instructor's actions. A pilot rated witness observed the event and stated that the pilot was high and fast on approach, but did not attempt to conduct a go around. The pilot nosed the airplane down approximately 400 feet from the departure end of the runway, porpoised, and was unable to stop the airplane before overrunning the runway. A post-accident examination of the airplane by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left and right wings were buckled. Further examination revealed no evidence of an electrical power failure. The battery was checked with a battery meter and the battery held a charge. All flight controls displayed continuity to all flight control surfaces. The flaps were operated with battery power only and full travel was achieved up and down. An inspection of the brakes revealed that the brakes applied and released normally. No other anomalies were noted with the airplane.