# NTSB MIA91LA133: Cessna 150L, N5829L, Lake Wales, FL, May 2, 1991

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 2, 1991, 16:10 local (20:10 UTC)
- Place: Lake Wales, FL
- Coordinates: 27.900831, -81.580917 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9008&lon=-81.5809&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 27, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32860
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA91LA133
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32860/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA91LA133

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF AIRPORT PERSONNEL TO PERFORM AIRPORT MAINTENANCE WHICH RESULTED IN INACCURATE WIND INFORMATION DUE TO A DETERIORATED WINDSOCK, AND FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL WITH A TAIL WIND.  ALSO, INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH BY THE PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE OF THE STUDENT PILOT AND HIS ATTEMPT TO GO-AROUND AFTER THE LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL.

## Sequence of events

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

- On ground/water encounter with weather, landing - roll
  - weather condition - tailwind
  - other airport/runway maintenance - not performed, airport personnel (cause)
  - wind information - inaccurate (cause)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - go-around - attempted, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown

## Analysis

DURING THE LAST LEG OF A LONG CROSS-COUNTRY FLT, THE STUDENT PLT ELECTED TO DIVERT TO A NEARBY ARPT TO PERFORM SEVERAL TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS.  HE TRANSMITTED ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY FOR AN ARPT ADVISORY BUT RECEIVED NO REPLY.  HE FLEW OVER THE ARPT AT 1,500 FT TO OBSERVE THE WINDSOCK WHICH INDICATED THAT THE WIND WAS FAVORING RWY 24.  HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND & STATED THAT THE ACFT FLOATED DURING THE FLARE.  AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RT & THE PLT APPLIED POWER TO GO-AROUND. THE ACFT THEN VEERED TO THE LT, TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE ACFT PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY CENTERLINE, DURING WHICH THE NOSE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT.  THE ACFT THEN CAME TO REST. POSTACCIDENT EXAM OF THE ARPT BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE WINDSOCK WAS IN A TOTAL STATE OF DISREPAIR. IT WAS LATER LEARNED THAT THE PLT LANDED WITH AN APRX 8 KT WIND AT 080 DEGREES.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5829L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5829L-1991-10-03), registration cancelled 1991-10-03, S/N 15073184 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150L
- Registry model: [Cessna 150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (registry code 2071826) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 150-73184
- Airframe hours: 6509
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200A 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Precision Flight Services, Inc
- Last inspection: 100 hour, April 15, 1991, 50 hours before
- Departed: MLB, MELBOURNE, FL
- Destination: GIF, WINTER HAVEN, FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: X07, Lake Wales Municipal, runway 24, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 37 total, 37 in this make and model, 13 as pilot in command, 37 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 60° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point -0 °F

## 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 19910502013989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910502013989A), May 2, 1991: Cessna 150L, Lake Wales, FL, Substantial damage. Lost control landing downwind. Over controlled,turned 90 degrees separating nose gear. Wind sock was in shreds.

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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