# NTSB FTW03LA119: Cessna 150, N8994U, Pearland, TX, March 8, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 8, 2003, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Pearland, TX - Coordinates: 29.521389, -95.242225 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5214&lon=-95.2422&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 23, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56712 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW03LA119 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56712/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA119 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain runway alignment. Contributing factors were the pilot's diverted attention to the banner staging area, and the ditch. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - proper alignment - not obtained/maintained, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the runway, adjacent taxiway, and surrounding field had recently been mowed. A banner tow recovery team staging area was adjacent to the approach end of the runway, and the pilot was distracted by the banner towing activity, plus the field and runway having recently been mowed, and he landed the airplane at the left edge of the runway. The nose wheel struck a ditch near the intersection of the crossing runway, and the pilot initiated a go-around. During the subsequent landing roll, the nose landing gear and mount assembly folded aft. ## Factual narrative On March 8, 2003, approximately 1600 central standard time, a Cessna 150, single-engine airplane, N8994U, landed at the edge of the grass runway and struck a ditch during the landing roll at the Clover Field Airport near Pearland, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight departed Clover Field Airport at an unknown time. The pilot reported that he returned to the airport for landing, announced his intentions on the Unicom frequency, and entered the traffic pattern in front of three banner towing aircraft for a left hand pattern to runway 14L. The runway, adjacent taxiway, and surrounding field had recently been mowed. The banner tow recovery team staging area was adjacent to the approach end of runway 14L. The pilot further reported that he was distracted by the banner towing activity, plus the field and runway having recently been mowed, and he landed the airplane at the left edge of the runway. The nose wheel struck a ditch near the intersection of the crossing runway, and the pilot initiated a go-around. During the subsequent landing roll, the nose landing gear and mount assembly folded aft. The engine mount and propeller were bent. The pilot and the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, found damage to the firewall, nose landing gear, engine mount, and propeller. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8994U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8994U), registered now, S/N 15078044, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150 - 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: 15078044 - Airframe hours: 3862 - Engines: Continental O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael R. Elliott - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 2, 2003, 20 hours before - Departed: LVJ, Friendswood, TX - Airport: LVJ, Cloverfield, runway 14, 3,000 × 60 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 1, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 1,500 total, 250 in this make and model, 1,500 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg ## 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 20030308018929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030308018929A), Mar 8, 2003: Cessna 150M, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) Because a banner tow ground crew was working on the sw side of rwy 14L the PIC tried to land favoring the NE side of the rwy. The aircraft initially… 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.