- Date
- April 12, 1990, 17:30 local (Apr 13, 1990, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hanford, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7309GCessna 150L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900412008539A
- Case key
- 26776
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 failure of the pilot in command to maintain a sufficient airspeed for the wind conditions encountered during the attempted 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
The pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing which advised of local area winds from the north west at 15 KTS with gusts to 20 KTS. The pilot said he flew a normal pattern for runway 32. As the aircraft entered the flare, a strong gust of wind suddenly lifted the left wing and the nose of the aircraft 'pitched up violently.' The pilot attempted to counter the attitude deviation with forward and left control inputs. The aircraft landed on the nose wheel, the right wing struck the airport VASI light installation and the aircraft cart wheeled over onto its back. Witnesses at the airport reported that strong gusty cross winds existed at the time of the aircraft's approach and landing attempt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7309G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15074643
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Navy Lemore Aero Club, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Departed
- NLC · Nas Lemore, CA
- Destination
- O18
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 018 · Hanford Muni, runway 32, 3,965 × 75 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
- 24
- Certificates
- Military, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 342 total · 12 in this make and model · 254 as pilot in command · 54 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NLC, 18 nm away
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 N7309G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.