# NTSB LAX99LA239: Cessna 150K, N6171G, Hesperia, CA, June 26, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 26, 1999, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Hesperia, CA - Location: 34.3769° N, 117.3161° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HESPERIA (L26), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3769&lon=-117.3161&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 14, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46942 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX99LA239 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46942/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA239 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudged landing flare point and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin, resulting in a stall and hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed(vso) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis After receiving no response from the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency, the pilot proceeded on a 45-degree entry for right traffic to runway 3. Prior to turning downwind, he observed the windsock at the east end of the field indicating the wind was almost directly down runway 21. He flew over the runway and turned left to enter left traffic for runway 21. He stated he was established on final at 60 miles per hour with 30 degrees flaps and a 500-foot per minute sink rate, but decided he was high and increased the flaps to 40 degrees. He felt the approach was normal and experienced turbulence, which he described as light to moderate chop, while crossing a road on the east perimeter of the airport. He thought the sink rate momentarily increased as he began to flare and observed his airspeed was 60 miles per hour. As he completed the flare, he felt the sink rate stop as expected. He stated the airplane was 10 to 15 feet above the runway when it quit flying, dropped straight down, and bounced hard on the main landing gear. Before he could respond by adding power, the nose gear hit the ground and collapsed. The airplane skidded 30 to 35 feet before coming to a rest off the left side of the runway. ## Factual narrative On June 26, 1999, at 1430 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150K, N6171G, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at the Hesperia, California, airport. The rented airplane was operated by Learn to Fly Unlimited, LLC, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The personal flight originated from Redlands Municipal Airport, Redlands, California, at 1320. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot stated he practiced landings at Redlands, then departed for Big Bear, California. After determining that conditions at Big Bear were unfavorable, he decided to go to Hesperia. He received no response from the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) and proceeded on a 45-degree entry for right traffic to runway 3. Prior to turning downwind, he observed the windsock at the east end of the field indicating the wind was almost directly down runway 21. He flew over the runway and turned left to enter left traffic for runway 21. The pilot stated he was established on final at 60 miles per hour with 30 degrees flaps and a 500-foot per minute sink rate, but decided he was high and increased the flaps to 40 degrees. He felt the approach was progressing normally. While crossing a road on the east perimeter of the airport, he experienced turbulence, which he characterized as light to moderate chop. He thought the sink rate momentarily increased as he began to flare and observed his airspeed was 60 miles per hour. As he completed the flare, he felt the sink rate stop as expected. He stated the airplane was 10 to 15 feet above the runway when it quit flying, dropped straight down, and bounced hard on the main landing gear. Before he could respond by adding power, the nose gear hit the ground and collapsed. The airplane skidded 30 to 35 feet before coming to rest off the left side of the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6171G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6171G), registered now, S/N 15071671 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150K - Registry model: [Cessna 150K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150k) (registry code 2071822) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15071671 - Airframe hours: 2930 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Learn To Fly Unlimited, LLC - Registered owner: Robert Iliff - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 1999, 40 hours before - Departed: L12, REDLANDS, CA - Destination: L26 - Airport: L26, Hesperia, runway 21, 3,910 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 357 total, 81 in this make and model, 279 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 12 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: RAL, 29 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990626023299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990626023299A), Jun 26, 1999: Cessna 150K, Hesperia, CA, Substantial damage. (.19) On June 26, 1999, at 1500 hours pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150K, N6171G, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at the Hesperia airport,… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.