- Date
- June 20, 2019, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Elkader, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6471FCessna 150
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190620007549A
- Case key
- 99679
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 delayed decision to go around, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain.
Findings · 3
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 approach and just before landing, he aborted the landing because he felt that the airplane was too high above the runway to land safely. As he configured the airplane to go around, the airplane flew about 150 ft beyond the runway, and the right wing struck treetops and then impacted terrain. The pilot added that quicker power application and flap configuration would have prevented the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during approach and just prior to landing, he aborted the landing because he felt that the airplane was too high above the runway to land safely. As he configured the airplane to go-around, the airplane flew about 150ft beyond the runway and the right wing struck treetops and the airplane collided with trees and terrain. The pilot added that a quicker power application and flap configuration would have prevented the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6471F
- Reported as
- Cessna 150 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15063071
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 6,281.7
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 28, 2018
- Departed
- I27 · Elkader, IA
- Destination
- I27 · Elkader, IA
- Airport
- I27 · Elkader, runway 35, 1,705 × 75 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 5, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 227 total · 227 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- KPDC, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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 N6471F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.