MIA98LA087

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150M · Daytona Beach, FL · February 26, 1998

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 26, 1998, 09:44 local (14:44 UTC)
Place
Daytona Beach, FL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N45194Cessna 150M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 30, 1998
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19980226001879A
Case key
38464

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 flight instructor (CFI) to maintain adequate airspeed, during the final approach and flare to land, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush and allowed the wingtip to drag during touchdown.

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.

Loss of control - in flightLanding - flare/touchdown
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in command(cfi)Cause
Stall/mush - inadvertentPilot in command(cfi)Cause
Dragged wing,rotor,pod,float or tail/skidLanding - flare/touchdown

Analysis

After performing airwork, the flight instructor and a beginning student pilot returned to the traffic pattern. They turned base, then final, with 20 degrees of flaps extended. The wind was last reported to be a direct crosswind from the right at 4 knots. The CFI stated that they flared slightly high, and the flight appeared to be 'slightly fast.' He held the pitch attitude, and the airplane began to sink at a higher rate than expected. The CFI added partial, then full power to go-around, while maintaining the pitch attitude. He said the flight controls felt sluggish, and he relaxed the back pressure. The airplane began to bank to the left, which was not corrected with full right aileron and rudder. The left wingtip then contacted the runway, and the airplane rotated about 180 degrees and came to rest in an upright position.

Factual narrative

On February 26, 1998, about 0944 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150M, N45194, registered to a private individual, collided with terrain while landing at the Daytona Beach Regional Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certified flight instructor (CFI), and student were not injured. The flight originated about 0850, from the Daytona Beach Regional Airport.

The CFI stated that after completion of airwork the flight returned and entered the traffic pattern at midfield downwind. Abeam the runway 10 degrees of flaps were extended and the flight was turned onto base leg where an additional 10 degrees of flaps were extended. The flight turned onto final approach and the wind was last reported to be a direct right crosswind at 4 knots. The CFI further stated that the flare was slightly high and "we seemed to be slightly fast." The airplane then began descending at a higher rate than expected and while maintaining the pitch attitude, he applied partial power then full power to go around. The flight controls became "sluggish" and he released the back pressure but the airplane then banked to the left which he applied full right rudder and aileron with no effect. The left wing tip contacted the ground; the airplane rotated 180 degrees and came to rest upright.

Aircraft

Registration
N45194
Reported as
Cessna 150M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15076779
Airframe hours
3,561
Engine
Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Wrightway Aviation, Inc.
Registered owner
Virgil E. Lynch
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 21, 1997 · 34 hours before
Departed
DAB
Airport
DAB · Daytona Beach Int'L, runway 7R, 3,197 × 100 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
23
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Right
Flight hours
307 total · 77 in this make and model · 242 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Variable at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
66 °F, dew point 48 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
DAB

FAA reports on this event · 1

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