- Date
- November 20, 1996, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gulf Shores, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2428JCessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961120045419A
- Case key
- 38178
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
Inadequate maintenance/inspection of the aircraft engine, which allowed continued use of a deteriorated ignition harness and subsequent loss of engine power.
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
After takeoff, the engine lost power. The aircraft would not maintain altitude, and while the pilot was attempting to make a forced landing in a field, the aircraft collided with brush and trees. During postcrash testing, the engine would not operate above 2,400 rpm, and power output deteriorated further as the engine continued to run. The left ignition harness was deteriorated and had cracks in the insulation. The left ignition harness was replaced, and the engine operated normally. The engine received a annual inspection on May 27, 1996, 43 flight hours before the accident.
Factual narrative
On November 20, 1996, about 1130 central standard time, a Cessna 150, N2428J, registered to a private owner, crashed when the engine lost power during takeoff from a private strip near Gulf Shores, Alabama, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that while climbing through about 80 feet agl after takeoff to the south, the engine lost about 400 rpm. He turned the aircraft to the east toward a sod farm adjacent to the strip. The aircraft would not maintain altitude and touched down in brush and trees before reaching the farm. The aircraft came to rest on the farm.
The engine was removed from the aircraft and placed on an engine test stand. The engine started and advanced to 2,400 rpm before stumbling. The left magneto had a large rpm drop. The No. 4 cylinder was running cool. The left ignition harness was replaced and the engine operated smoothly at 2,784 rpm for 10 minutes, without further malfunction. The left ignition harness was worn and had breaks in the wires. See attached FAA and Continental Motors report.
A completed NTSB form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, was not received from the pilot/operator of N2428J.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2428J
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15065528
- Airframe hours
- 3,259
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chad S. Palmer
- Registered owner
- Terry A. Duke
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 27, 1996 · 42 hours before
- Airport
- Kiwi Field, runway 18, 2,464 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 21
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 695 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFM, 28 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.