MIA97LA170

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150F · Venice, FL · May 19, 1997

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 19, 1997, 10:50 local (14:50 UTC)
Place
Venice, FL
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N102HACessna 150F
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 30, 1997
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19970519011129A
Case key
38285

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient airspeed on final approach and during the landing to properly flare the airplane.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Flare - not attainedPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The pilot stated that during final approach, he allowed the airplane to become too low and slow, and he only applied partial power. Subseqeuntly, the airplane lost lift over the runway, and touched down hard in a nose and left wing low attitude. During the occurrence, damage occurred to the left wing tip, wing skin, 2 ribs, and the 'rear false spar.' The pilot stated that there was no preimpact failure or malfunction of the airframe or engine.

Factual narrative

On May 19, 1997, about 1050 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150F, N102HA, registered to Huffman Aviation, Inc., experienced a hard landing at the Venice Municipal Airport, Venice, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 1020 from the Venice Airport.

The pilot stated that after departure he performed airwork then returned to the airport where he performed two touch-and-go landings. During the third approach he allowed the airplane to become too low and slow and only applied partial power. The airplane stalled, descended, and impacted the runway nose and left wing low. The airplane then veered off the runway and collided with a runway light. The pilot further stated that there was no flight control or engine preimpact failure or malfunction.

Aircraft

Registration
N102HA
Reported as
Cessna 150F
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15064386
Airframe hours
9,400
Engine
Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Venice Flying Service
Registered owner
Huffman Aviation, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility
Last inspection
100 hour · April 7, 1997 · 79 hours before
Departed
VNC
Airport
VNC · Venice Municipal, runway 13, 5,000 × 150 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
60
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
263 total · 25 in this make and model · 222 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
120° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
4,300 ft broken
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 75 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
VNC

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.