- Date
- January 19, 2003, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Crestline, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8555GCessna 150F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20030119028989A
- Case key
- 56356
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
The pilot's improper decision to takeoff from unsuitable terrain. A factor related to the accident was the plowed, snow covered field.
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 a 2 hour flight the engine lost total power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a plowed snow covered farm field, about 9 miles east of the destination airport. The pilot proceeded by ground transportation to the airport, where he purchased fuel. Upon returning to the airplane, the pilot added the fuel to the left and right wing tanks, and a mechanic inspected the airplane. The pilot then elected to attempt a takeoff from the field. During the takeoff roll, the left wing struck a tree, and the takeoff was aborted. Review of a videotape, taken by an Ohio State Highway Patrol officer, the airplane was positioned on a snow-covered field with the engine running. The field also had high windrows and tall grass. Engine power was then applied, and the airplane began its takeoff roll. As the airplane proceeded away from the camera, it neared a tree line, and veered right. A large white cloud was then observed, and the airplane disappeared from the sight of the camera. The officer drove towards the white cloud, and observed the airplane at rest, with its occupants walking around the fuselage. Also noted on the video was a lone small tree growing in the field.
Factual narrative
On January 19, 2003, at 1700 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150F, N8555G, was substantially damaged while attempting to takeoff from a field near Crestline, Ohio. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, the flight had departed from the Beach City Airport, Beach City, Ohio, about 1250, destined for the Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport (MFD), Mansfield, Ohio. After a 2 hour flight, the engine lost total power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a plowed snow covered farm field, about 9 miles east of MFD. The pilot proceeded by ground transportation to MFD, where he purchased fuel. Upon returning to the airplane, the pilot added the fuel to the left and right wing tanks, and a mechanic inspected the airplane. The pilot then elected to attempt a takeoff from the field. During the takeoff roll, the left wing struck a tree, and the takeoff was aborted.
Review of a videotape, taken by an Ohio State Highway Patrol officer, the airplane was positioned on a snow-covered field with the engine running. The field also had high windrows and tall grass. Engine power was then applied, and the airplane began its takeoff roll. As the airplane proceeded away from the camera, it neared a tree line, and veered right. A large white cloud was then observed, and the airplane disappeared from the sight of the camera. The officer drove towards the white cloud, and observed the airplane at rest, with its occupants walking around the fuselage. Also noted on the video was a lone small tree growing in the field.
Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed substantial damage to the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8555G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15062655
- Airframe hours
- 2,819
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert M. Walker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 20, 2002 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Crestline, OH
- Destination
- MFD · Mansfield, OH
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- June 6, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 98 total · 41 in this make and model · 56 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 16 °F, dew point 3 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- MFD, 9 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 1, 2004, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 533 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8555G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.