- Date
- April 24, 2016, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sterling City, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8052SCessna 150
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160424005549A
- Case key
- 93064
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 failure to establish a climb and maintain directional control during takeoff in quartering tailwind conditions, which resulted in a loss of directional control, aborted takeoff, collision with a wire fence, and nose over.
Findings · 4
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 takeoff the wind shifted from a crosswind to a quartering tailwind. He further reported that immediately after rotation at 45 knots, the airplane began to drift to the left and would not climb. Subsequently, the pilot aborted the takeoff and touched down to the left of the runway about 20 feet before a wire fence. The nose wheel caught on the wire fence and the airplane nosed over. The vertical stabilizer and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during takeoff the wind shifted from a crosswind to a quartering tailwind. He further reported that immediately after rotation at 45 knots, the airplane began to drift to the left and would not climb. Subsequently, the pilot aborted the takeoff and touched down to the left of the runway about 20 feet before a wire fence. The nose wheel caught on the wire fence and the airplane nosed over. The vertical stabilizer and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8052S
- Reported as
- Cessna 150 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15061652
- Built
- 1965
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 64F · Sterling City, TX
- Destination
- 88R · Spicewood, TX
- Airport
- 64F · Alvie Cole Ranch, runway 14, 3,000 × 60 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 11, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 5,350 total · 150 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Turbulence
- Light
- Observed at
- KSJT, 29 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 19, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.