- Date
- March 30, 1984, 06:55 local (14:55 UTC)
- Place
- Happy Camp, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9254UCessna 150M
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840330007939A
- Case key
- 24218
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
While waiting for fog to 'burn off,' the plt preflighted the acft & then waited for about 45 min at the end of the rwy. He then decided to takeoff while the wx was still IMC. Shortly after lift-off, the acft entered instrument conditions & began turning to the left. The plt stated, 'about the time I was starting to get things sorted out, the trees appeared out of the fog.' He pulled back on the yoke, but the acft hit trees & crashed. The plt stated that his decision to takeoff in IMC was influenced by his wife's failing ability to cope with their separation during his new job & his boss's explicit instructions that he didn't want anyone late or off on that day. Also, the plt felt a need to prove to everyone that an acft could be dependable transportation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9254U
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078204
- Airframe hours
- 2,365
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William D. Sauer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 6, 1984
- Destination
- 105 · Montague, CA
- Airport
- 36S · Happy Camp, runway 4, 3,000 × 50 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 279 total · 250 in this make and model · 247 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
- 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.