FTW02LA153

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150M · Godley, TX · May 17, 2002

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 16, 2002, 19:00 local (May 17, 2002, 00:00 UTC)
Place
Godley, TX
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N50XPCessna 150M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Status
Completed · report April 1, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20020516038689A
Case key
54719

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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the transmission wire during the precautionary landing.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine powerCruise
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause
Forced landingDescent - emergency
In flight collision with objectLanding
Object - wire,transmission
Clearance - not maintainedPilot in commandFactor

Analysis

While in cruise flight, the airplane "experienced engine roughness." During a precautionary landing to a field, the airplane impacted a transmission wire. The airplane came to rest upright in the field with the nose landing gear separated, and the aft wing spars bent. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.

Factual narrative

On May 16, 2002, approximately 1900 central daylight time, a Cessna 150M single-engine airplane, N50XP, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a transmission wire during a precautionary landing to a field following a loss of engine power while in cruise flight near Godley, Texas. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was registered to Delta Aeronautics Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, and operated by Delta Qualiflight, Fort Worth. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The local flight departed the Fort Worth Mecham International Airport, Fort Worth, approximately 1800.

The pilot reported that prior to departure from Fort Worth, he performed an engine run-up with no anomalies noted. Approximately 1.8 hours into the flight, the airplane "experienced engine roughness." During a precautionary landing to a field, the airplane impacted a transmission wire.

An FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported that the airplane came to rest upright in the field with the nose landing gear separated, and the aft wing spars bent. The fuel selector was found in the OFF position, the right fuel tank was approximately 1/2 full of fuel, and the left fuel tank was approximately 2/3 full of fuel. The FAA inspector rotated the engine crankshaft by hand; the engine crankshaft was free to rotate, and the engine accessories drive shafts were observed to rotate. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.

Aircraft

Registration
N50XP
Reported as
Cessna 150M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15077981
Airframe hours
6,515
Engine
Continental O-200-A, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Delta Qualiflight
Registered owner
Delta Aeronautics Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · February 23, 2002 · 93.4 hours before
Departed
FTW · Fort Worth, TX

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
22
Injuries
Minor
Certificates
Private, Foreign
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
May 6, 2002
Seat
Left
Flight hours
97 total · 22 in this make and model · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Wind
120° at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
9,000 ft broken
Temperature
84 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
29.84 inHg
Observed at
FTW

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 16, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 589 KB 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.