MIA98LA136

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150M · Lumber Bridge, NC · April 19, 1998

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 19, 1998, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC)
Place
Lumber Bridge, NC
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N63582Cessna 150M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 8, 1998
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19980419007219A
Case key
38500

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

The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.

The pilot's delay in aborting a takeoff from a wet grass runway.

Analysis

The pilot stated that the grass runway was wet and he did not walk the length of the runway before takeoff. During the takeoff roll he noted increased drag, but continued the takeoff, and due to insufficient speed to become airborne and remaining runway, he aborted the takeoff. The airplane skidded off the runway, contacted a road, became airborne, then touched down in a field and nosed over. The pilot further stated that he should have aborted the takeoff earlier.

Factual narrative

On April 19, 1998, about 1440 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N63582, registered to private individuals, crashed during takeoff from a private airstrip near Lumber Bridge, North Carolina. 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 commercial-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot stated that it had rained earlier and the grass runway was wet. He did not walk the length of the 1,500-foot-long runway before takeoff. He performed a short/soft field takeoff, and when a couple hundred feet down the runway, he noted increased drag. He continued the takeoff, and when at what he felt was sufficient airspeed to become airborne, the airplane did not. He aborted the takeoff and applied the brakes, but the airplane skidded off the departure end of the runway and became airborne after contacting a road. The airplane then touched down in a field and nosed over. He further stated that he should have aborted the takeoff earlier.

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.

In flight collision with terrain/waterTakeoff - aborted
Aborted takeoff - delayedPilot in commandCause

Aircraft

Registration
N63582
Reported as
Cessna 150M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15077411
Airframe hours
2,402
Engine
Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Julius T. Hagin
Registered owner
Joseph D. Morell
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility
Last inspection
Annual · December 20, 1997 · 36 hours before
Airport
runway 21, 1,500 × 200 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
45
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
2,096 total · 384 in this make and model · 2,000 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
220° at 13 knots, gusting 19
Visibility
9 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
3,400 ft broken
Temperature
73 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
FAY

FAA reports on this event · 1

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