- Date
- August 8, 1999, 09:53 local (14:53 UTC)
- Place
- Cypress, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N60784Cessna 150J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990808011109A
- Case key
- 47744
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 flight instructor's failure to maintain/obtain airspeed during takeoff climb, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush.
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
The flight instructor was demonstrating a 'soft and short field takeoff' on a 2,000-foot grass strip. The airplane 'climbed very slowly' out of ground effect. In order to avoid trees and power lines at the end of the runway, the instructor pulled back on the control yoke to gain altitude. The airplane 'just barely cleared the obstacles, buffeted, and went into a incipient spin.' The flight instructor 'quickly recovered', but the airplane lost altitude. With more obstacles in the flight path, the flight instructor elected to execute an emergency landing in the front yard of a private residence. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear, struck a ditch, and came to rest inverted in a driveway.
Factual narrative
On August 8, 1999, at 0953 central daylight time, a Cessna 150J airplane, N60784, registered to a private individual and operated by MVP Aero Academy of Houston, Texas, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain after takeoff from the Weiser Air Park Airport near Cypress, Texas. The flight instructor and student pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 local instructional flight. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
On the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, the flight instructor stated that he was demonstrating a "soft and short field takeoff" on a 2,000-foot grass strip. The instructor reported that the airplane "climbed very slowly" out of ground effect. In order to avoid trees and power lines at the end of the runway, the instructor pulled back on the control yoke to gain altitude. The airplane "just barely cleared the obstacles, buffeted, and went into a incipient spin." The flight instructor "quickly recovered", but the airplane lost altitude. With more obstacles in the flight path, the flight instructor elected to execute an emergency landing in the front yard of a private residence. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear, struck a ditch, and came to rest inverted in a driveway.
At 0953, David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (located 10 nautical miles northeast of the accident site) reported the sky clear, visibility 8 statute miles, wind variable at 4 knots, temperature 86 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 77 degrees Fahrenheit, altimeter 30.02 inches of mercury, and density altitude 1,832 feet.
Examination of the aircraft by the FAA inspector revealed that both wings were twisted and wrinkled, and the aileron was separated from the right wing. The fuselage was twisted and buckled. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were damaged, and the nose landing gear and right main landing gear were separated from the aircraft. The engine mount was fractured and the firewall was crushed aft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N60784
- Reported as
- Cessna 150J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15070577
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Mvp Aero Academy
- Registered owner
- Kevin Lyons
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- EYQ · Cypress, TX
- Airport
- EYQ · Weiser Air Park, runway 16, 2,000 × 33 ft, grass/turf
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
- 37
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 740 total · 139 in this make and model · 656 as pilot in command · 284 in the last 90 days · 72 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DWH, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.