- Date
- February 19, 1997, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Turner, ME
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7811ECessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970219001699A
- Case key
- 28176
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
Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A related factor was the snowbank.
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
According to the pilot, this was the first flight after maintenance to replace the left fuel tank. He said that he satisfactorily completed a preflight and run-up inspection. The pilot stated that during the initial takeoff climb, at about 30 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. The pilot closed the throttle, and applied full flaps for a landing on the remaining runway, but the airplane struck a snowbank at the departure end of the runway, and the airplane nosed over. According to the pilot, the engine ran satisfactory after the accident.
Factual narrative
On February 19, 1997, at 0900 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150, N7811E, was substantially damaged when it collided with a snowbank during a forced landing at the Twitchell Airport, Turner, Maine. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, this was the first flight after maintenance to replace the left fuel tank. He said that he satisfactorily completed a preflight and run-up inspection. After takeoff, about 20 to 30 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. The pilot said the runway was 2,300 feet long, and he closed the throttle, selected full flaps, and landed on the remaining runway, but the airplane struck a snow bank at the end of runway 30, and nosed over.
According to the pilot, "...The engine ran good before the accident, I checked carburetor heat, and the engine runs good now... ."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7811E
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15017611
- Airframe hours
- 3,453
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John J Smith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 12, 1997 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- 3B5 · ME
- Airport
- 3B5 · Twitchell, runway 30, 2,340 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 74
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,748 total · 409 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
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 N7811E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.