- Date
- May 6, 2007, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sonoma, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N45316Cessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 66796
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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and failure to maintain directional control while landing.
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
After landing on runway 26 with a right crosswind from 360 degrees at 19 knots and gusting to 28 knots, the airplane veered off the runway to the left. The airplane subsequently crossed an adjacent field, and collided with a ditch. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Factual narrative
On May 5, 2007, about 1030 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N45316, veered off the runway and collided with a ditch during a crosswind landing at Sonoma Skypark Airport, Sonoma, California (OQ9). Sonoma Skypark Flight School was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local area personal flight departed Napa County Airport, Napa, California (APC), about 1010. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot stated in a written report that he configured the airplane for a straight in approach to runway 26. After touchdown, the airplane veered to the left and departed the runway. The airplane continued through an adjacent field and collided with a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage, including a buckled firewall and a bent left wing spar.
The closest official weather observation station was APC, which was 8 nautical miles east of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 35 feet msl. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for APC was issued at 0954. It stated: winds from 360 degrees at 19 knots gusting to 28 knots; visibility 10 miles; skies 25,000 feet scattered; temperature 25 degrees Celsius; dew point 2 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.04 inHg.
The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45316
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15076838
- Airframe hours
- 10,019
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sonoma Skypark Flight School, doing business as Sonoma Skypark Flight School
- Registered owner
- Carmichael John Dudley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 1, 2007 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- APC · Napa, CA
- Destination
- 0Q9 · Sonoma, CA
- Airport
- 0Q9 · Sonoma Skypark Airport, runway 26, 2,480 × 40 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
- 80
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 718 total · 100 in this make and model · 587 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 19 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- APC, 8 nm away