# NTSB ERA15LA323: Cessna 150, N4057V, Dorado, PR, August 22, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 22, 2015, 16:55 local (20:55 UTC) - Place: Dorado, PR - Coordinates: 18.436666, -66.278053 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4367&lon=-66.2781&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report May 1, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 91845 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15LA323 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91845/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91845 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA323 ## Probable cause A short circuit of unknown origin, which resulted in electrical arcing in the engine compartment and smoke in the cockpit, which necessitated a precautionary landing to a field. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Electrical power system: dC power distribution system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022460): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022460/cases.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022460/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot had flown the airplane earlier in the day and had not noted any anomalies during that flight or during the preflight inspection and engine run up for the accident flight. About 15 minutes after takeoff on the accident flight, the pilot smelled smoke and decided to return to the departure airport. The smoke began to enter the cockpit, and the pilot conducted a precautionary landing in an open field; however, during the landing roll, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed evidence of engine compartment electrical arcing and melting of the plastic covering of the battery grounding wire. The source of the short circuit could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On August 22, 2015, at 1655 Atlantic standard time, a Cessna 150M, N4057V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Dorado, Puerto Rico. The private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight from Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (TJIG), San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Rafael Hernandez Airport (TJBQ), Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to the pilot, he had flown the airplane that morning to the island of Culebra, returning before noon with no anomalies noted, either during that flight, or during the accident flight's preflight inspection or engine run up. The airplane subsequently departed TJIG runway 27, heading west toward TJBQ, about 1640. About 15 minutes later, at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the pilot smelled smoke. He notified the TJIG air traffic control tower and advised that he was turning around. The pilot "cautiously" reversed course, and a few minutes later, a "lot of smoke started to invade the cabin." The pilot turned the master switch off and looked for what was causing the smoke and any sign of a fire. The smoke did not stop so the pilot had to decide whether to continue to the airport or find a safe place to land. At that moment, the airplane was over an open, unpopulated field that the pilot had flown over many times before, which looked flat and "clean enough" for a safe landing. Beyond the field was "Metro San Juan," and the pilot would have had to fly over San Juan Bay before reaching TJIG. Since the smoke continued, the pilot decided to land the airplane in the field and not risk continued flight. The pilot identified a landing spot in the field, and followed emergency procedures "from right to left, cut the gas and the engine stopped." The pilot descended the airplane "aggressively to increase airspeed, following the in-flight fire procedures." About 300 feet, the pilot leveled the airplane and set up the approach for landing. The airplane touched down with both main landing gear "as gently as possible" since the grass was high, and during rollout, the pilot noticed high bushes in front of him. The pilot used the momentum of the airplane to "elevate" it over the bushes by pulling back on the yoke forcefully. The pilot then felt the airplane, "hit something and everything started to move violently." The pilot initially lost consciousness, but later regained it and pulled himself out of the airplane. He was subsequently taken to the hospital, where he learned that the airplane had hit a "water contingency dirt wall" hidden by the bushes, and that the entire front of the airplane was severely damaged and displaced into the cabin. According to the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane landed in a park about 6 miles west of TJIG. Examination of the airplane revealed engine compartment electrical arcing, and melting ofthe plastic covering the battery grounding wire. The source of the arcing could not be determined. The pilot reported that the airplane had been operated about 40 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 4 months prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4057V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4057V-2018-04-18), registration cancelled 2018-04-18, S/N 15076688, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150 (M) - Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15076688 - Year built: 1975 - Airframe hours: 4270 - Engines: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 17, 2015, 37 hours before - Departed: TJIG, San Juan, PR - Destination: TJBQ, Aguadilla, PR - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 31, 2015; seat: left; flight hours: 170 total, 153 in this make and model, 139 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: TJIG, 6 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 20150822018709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150822018709A), Aug 22, 2015: Cessna 150M, Dorado, PR, Destroyed. According to the information provided by the pilot, he was traveling east to west when he sensed a burn smell but he could not identify the source. [privacy… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 22, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91845. 2.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450185&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 2, .PDF, 463 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450184&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.