- Date
- July 7, 1997, 12:05 local (19:05 UTC)
- Place
- Chico, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8168UCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 31, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970707045169A
- Case key
- 29844
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
failure of the student pilot to maintain adequate airspeed during a go-around. Trees at the departure end of the runway were a related factor.
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 student pilot was remaining in closed traffic to practice crosswind landings. While on short final approach for the 7th landing, he elected to perform a go-around. He increased power and retracted the flaps from 30 to 10 degrees. He then became concerned about a poor rate of climb and low airspeed, and he did not believe that the aircraft would safely clear trees at the departure end of the runway. Deciding to abort the go-around, he landed near the departure end of the runway. The nose wheel struck a concrete curb that marked the end of the runway. The aircraft then became airborne and struck a small tree. Inspection of the aircraft revealed no preexisting anomaly.
Factual narrative
On July 7, 1997, at 1205 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N8168U, overran runway 33 and collided with trees at the Ranchaero Airport, Chico, California, during a go-around attempt. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the solo cross-country instructional flight and no flight plan was filed. The time of departure from the Ranchero airport was 1110.
The student pilot reported that this was his fourth solo flight and was remaining in closed traffic to practice crosswind landings. On final, with 30 degrees of flaps, the student pilot elected to execute a practice go-around. He increased the power to full, and flaps were retracted to 10 degrees. The student pilot noted a poor rate of climb and low aircraft speed. He stated that with low aircraft performance he did not believe that the aircraft would safely clear the trees located at the runway's departure end. He then attempted to land and brake within the remaining length of the runway. The student pilot reported that the aircraft touched down hard at the departure end of the runway and that the nose wheel immediately struck a concrete curb that marked the end of the runway. The aircraft became airborne again and struck a tree. It landed on top of the fallen tree and rolled to a stop.
An Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector from the Sacramento, California, Flight Standards District Office, traveled to Chico on July 24, 1997, to inspect the airplane and interview the pilot. In the interview, the student pilot reported that he let the airplane go too far down the runway before attempting the go-around. The aircraft was inspected with no preexisting anomalies noted.
The accident was reported to the FAA and the Safety Board on July 17, 1997, at 1230.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8168U
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15077905
- Airframe hours
- 6,548
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ronald E. Bulber
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 1, 1997 · 100 hours before
- Departed
- O23 · CA
- Airport
- O23 · Ranchaero, runway 33, 2,280 × 30 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
- 35
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 26 total · 26 in this make and model · 4 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °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 N8168U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.