- Date
- September 1, 1994, 19:16 local (Sep 2, 1994, 00:16 UTC)
- Place
- Mesquite, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N66322Cessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940901044129A
- Case key
- 19152
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 unfavorable gusting winds. A factor was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control.
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.
Analysis
During a series of touch and go landings the student pilot observed a storm approaching from the south so he elected to make the next approach to a full stop. During final approach the student pilot had trouble maintaining control when the wind 'suddenly shifted and the airplane reacted violently to the turbulence.' The pilot was able to land but the airplane departed the runway and nosed over. An instructor pilot/witness confirmed the sudden shift in the wind. The approaching storm and change in wind conditions were unforcasted.
Factual narrative
On September 1, 1994, at 1916 central daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N66322, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing at Mesquite, Texas. The solo student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The following is based on the pilot/operator report. The pilot was practicing touch and go landings when he observed a storm approaching from the south. He decided to make his next approach to a full stop. He described his final approach as "normal until the wind shifted suddenly" and "the plane reacted violently to the turbulence." The pilot said he was able to land but "the wind blew me off the runway" and the airplane nosed over. He said a flight instructor/witness had told him the "wind had changed suddenly while he was on final approach, and it appeared he had encountered wind shear." The abrupt weather changes were not forecasted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N66322
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15075986
- Airframe hours
- 4,814
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Precision Aviation
- Registered owner
- Cope, Mark J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 9, 1994 · 42 hours before
- Airport
- HQZ · Phil L. Hudson, runway 35, 5,006 × 75 ft, concrete
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 20 total · 19 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 90 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.