# NTSB NYC90LA043: Cessna 150L, N11614, Lehighton, PA, December 28, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 28, 1989, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place: Lehighton, PA
- Coordinates: 40.829299, -75.710388 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8293&lon=-75.7104&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 16, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36592
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC90LA043
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36592/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC90LA043

## Probable cause

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
- Forced landing, maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
- In flight collision with object, landing
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND STUDENT PILOT WERE PERFORMING A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING.  ON THE TAKEOFF PHASE AT ABOUT 150 TO 200 FT AGL, ENGINE ROUGHNESS OCCURRED, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A PROGRESSIVE POWER LOSS.  THE PILOTS ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO TREES.  A POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS.  DURING A TEST, THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N11614](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N11614-2003-08-13), registration cancelled 2003-08-13, S/N 15075568, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150L
- Registry model: [Cessna 150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (registry code 2071826) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15075568
- Airframe hours: 3882
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: American Flight Academy
- Registered owner: Arkidy Zapolski
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: 100 hour, November 5, 1989, 13 hours before
- Departed: 1N9, ALLENTOWN, PA
- Destination: 22N
- Airport: 22N, Jake Arner Memorial, runway 26, 3,000 × 50 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 20; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: right; flight hours: 431 total, 172 in this make and model, 371 as pilot in command, 61 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 25 °F, dew point -0 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19891228053629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891228053629A), Dec 28, 1989: Cessna 150L, Lehighton, PA, Substantial damage. Lost power on climbout from touch and go. Turned back and landed in trees.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.