# NTSB ERA23LA169: Cessna 150H, N50133, Mattituck, NY, March 27, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 27, 2023, 15:50 local (19:50 UTC) - Place: Mattituck, NY - Coordinates: 40.990677, -72.535021 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9907&lon=-72.5350&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 106968 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA169 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106968/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106968 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA169 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing, which resulted in a hard landing and runway excursion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated he went flying in windy conditions and that during landing, a crosswind “blew” the airplane to the left side of runway 19. He attempted to realign the airplane with the runway centerline, however, the nose “dropped sharply.” The pilot tried to bring the nose up again, but the nose landing gear struck the runway “hard.” The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest off the left side of the runway. During the accident sequence, the main wing spar was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The recorded wind 9 nautical miles southwest of the airport, three minutes after the accident was from 120° at 4 kts. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N50133](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N50133), registered now, S/N 15069081, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150H - Registry model: [Cessna 150H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150h) (registry code 2071818) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15069081 - Year built: 1968 - Airframe hours: 2517 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Stepnoski Bernard L - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2022 - Airport: 21N, Mattituck, runway 10, 2,000 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 84; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 18, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 575 total, 575 in this make and model, 575 as pilot in command, 1.75 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: FOK, 9 nm away - METAR: KFOK 271953Z 12004KT 10SM OVC110 11/M04 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP152 T01061039 ## 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 20230327003869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230327003869A), Mar 27, 2023: Cessna 150H, Mattituck, NY, Substantial damage. Pilot stated during landing the wind was gusting approximately 20KTS from sse. After initial touch-down, the left wing dropped and was corrected by the pilot,… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106968. 7.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 8 pages, 6.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15424115&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15422717&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15423247&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photo%27s-Rel.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.