- Date
- December 8, 2023, 16:11 UTC
- Place
- Mount Vernon, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5952TCessna 150
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- 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
- FAA report
- 20231208021199A
- Case key
- 193506
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 pilot’s decision to operate the airplane at a low altitude over a river, and his failure to maintain clearance from the river while maneuvering.
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 pilot reported that he and a passenger had departed for a local sight-seeing flight and while flying low over a river the left wing impacted the water. The impact “pulled the plane into the river,” which resulted in substantial damage to the forward fuselage, wings, and tail structure. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanic malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5952T
- Reported as
- Cessna 150 (D)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15060652
- Built
- 1964
- Airframe hours
- 4,347
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 3, 2023
- Departed
- 2R5 · St. Elmo, AL
- Equipment
- None
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 155.5 total · 143.2 in this make and model · 101.9 as pilot in command · 12.2 in the last 90 days · 12.2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Turbulence
- Light
- Observed at
- MOB, 31 nm away
- METAR
- KMOB 081656Z 09005KT 10SM FEW035 BKN150 BKN250 18/12 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP202 T01830117
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 60.7 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.