- Date
- October 23, 2015, 09:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Millbrook, NY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6709SCessna 150
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 15, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Teterboro FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20151023020159A
- Case key
- 92256
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 loss of heading control during the go-around in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees.
Findings · 5
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 during the landing flare he encountered "wind shear" and crosswind conditions. About 10 feet above the runway, the airplane ballooned and the nose rotated 30 degrees to the left. He added full power to go-around, but the airplane drifted to the left of the runway and the left wing impacted a tree. Subsequently, the airplane spun around 180 degrees and came to rest in grass to the left of the runway. The fuselage and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A routine aviation weather report 8 nautical miles southwest of the airport reported the wind at 020 degrees true at 13 knots gusting to 17 knots, and clear skies. The landing runway heading was 350 degrees magnetic, which resulted in a 10 knot crosswind component.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing flare he encountered "wind shear" and crosswind conditions. About 10 feet above the runway, the airplane ballooned and the nose rotated 30 degrees to the left. He added full power to go-around, but the airplane drifted to the left of the runway and the left wing impacted a tree. Subsequently, the airplane spun around 180 degrees and came to rest in grass to the left of the runway. The fuselage and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A routine aviation weather report 8 nautical miles southwest of the airport reported the wind at 020 degrees true at 13 knots gusting to 17 knots, and clear skies. The landing runway heading was 350 degrees magnetic, which resulted in a 10 knot crosswind component.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6709S
- Reported as
- Cessna 150 (H)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15067509
- Built
- 1967
- Engine
- Continental Motors O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 9, 2015
- Departed
- POU · Poughkeepsie, NY
- Destination
- 44N · Millbrook, NY
- Airport
- 44N · Sky Acres, runway 35, 3,830 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 5, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 364 total · 70 in this make and model · 309 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 81
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,320 total · 0 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Turbulence
- Light
- Observed at
- KPOU, 8 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 28, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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.
Other investigations on N6709S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.