# NTSB MIA02LA007: Cessna A150L, N6020J, Buena Vista, GA, October 12, 2001

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 12, 2001, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place: Buena Vista, GA
- Coordinates: 32.310554, -84.509475 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3106&lon=-84.5095&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 7, 2002
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FSDO  FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 53599
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA007
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53599/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA007

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to use proper bounced landing technique, resulting in a hard touchdown, propeller strike, and noseover.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Nose over, landing - flare/touchdown
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, as he flared and touched down on the private, grass airstrip, a gust of wind caused the aircraft to become airborne about 5 feet above the runway. On the second touchdown, the aircraft impacted the runway surface with enough force to cause the propeller to strike the surface, resulting in a nose over. The pilot was uninjured, however, the aircraft received substantial damage.

## Factual narrative

On October 12, 2001, about 1315 eastern daylight time, a Cessna A150L, N6020J, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while attempting to land in the vicinity of Buena Vista, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage, and the commercially-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight departed Tifton, Georgia about 35 minutes before the accident.

According to the pilot, he checked the surface wind condition at Souther Field, Americus, Georgia, before his landing and was given 160 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 14 knots. He chose to land on a 120 degree heading on the grass strip and after he touched down, a gust of wind caused the aircraft to become airborne about 5 feet agl, and the second touchdown hit the ground hard. The modified tail wheel configured aircraft dug the propeller into the grass and nosed over.

According to an FAA inspector, the pilot stated to him, "The aircraft stalled on landing and nosed over". When the recovery crew arrived at the wreckage site, the aircraft was found inverted, on centerline of the 2,800 by 75 foot sod strip, about mid-length on the runway. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent, both wing and right side fuselage skins revealed wrinkling, and the propeller was bent.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6020J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6020J-2008-11-19), registration cancelled 2008-11-19, S/N A1500320, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna A150L
- Registry model: [Cessna A150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a150l) (registry code 2071828) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: A1500320
- Airframe hours: 4024
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Robert A. Muir
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2001, 26 hours before
- Departed: TMA, Tifton, GA
- Destination: Buena Vista, GA
- Airport: Ellaville, GA, runway 12, 2,800 × 75 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review November 12, 1999; seat: left; flight hours: 1,250 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC)
- Wind: 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,400 ft broken
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observed at: CSG, 41 nm away

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.

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