MKC88LA030

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150H · Siloam Springs, AR · December 18, 1987

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report

Date: December 17, 1987, 19:00 local (Dec 18, 1987, 01:00 UTC)
Place: Siloam Springs, AR
Injuries: 1 uninjured
Damage: Substantial damage
Phase of flight: Approach
Aircraft: N23303Cessna 150H
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status: Completed · report December 27, 1988
Report: Approved by Office Director
FAA report: 19871217070349A
Case key: 34526

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

On this page

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 engine power(total) - nonmechanicalApproach - vfr pattern - downwind

In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandCause

Lack of total experience in type operationPilot in commandFactor

Mixture - inadvertent deactivationPilot in commandCause

Carburetor heat - not usedPilot in commandFactor

Forced landingDescent - emergency

Mixture - not correctedPilot in commandCause

In flight collision with terrain/waterApproach - vfr pattern - final approach

Object - tree(s)Factor

Light condition - dark nightFactor

Analysis

When the airplane was on downwind, the pilot thought he was pulling on the carburetor heat. The pilot attempted to apply power on final and found the engine was windmilling. The pilot found he had pulled the mixture instead of the carburetor heat. During the forced landing, off airport, the airplane collided with trees, the terrain, and nosed over to the inverted position.

Aircraft

Registration: N23303
Reported as: Cessna 150H
Category: Airplane
Serial number: 150-68861
Engine: Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Substantial damage
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Registered owner: Kenneth R. Niccum
Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
Departed: Tulsa, OK
Airport: SLG · Smith, runway 18, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt

N23303Registered now · Cessna 150HS/N 15068861 · Built 1968 Airframe modelCessna 150H Engine modelContinental 0-200 seriesReciprocating

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: 19
Certificate: Private
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Medical: Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Left
Flight hours: 105 total · 56 in this make and model · 75 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind: 110° at 6 knots
Visibility: 15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling: None
Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 25 °F
Altimeter: 30.00 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

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

Accident 19871217070349ACessna 150H · Siloam Springs, ARPulled mixture on downwind instead of carburetor heat. No power on final. Hit trees and ground short of the runway.Dec 17, 1987 · N23303 · Substantial damage

Other investigations on N23303 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW99LA066Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportConway, ARThe loss of engine power due to carburetor ice during the approach to land. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Jan 10, 1999 · Substantial damage NTSB CHI75FEV30Accident · No injuriesClosedPittsfield, ILApr 12, 1975 · Substantial damage