- Date
- September 13, 1992, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Neepaulin, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8725GCessna 150F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920913036429A
- Case key
- 37073
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
An inflight collision with trees after the pilot failed to outclimb the terrain. Factors related to the accident were the pilot's improper use of the flaps and the pilot's decision to operate the airplane over the maximum allowable gross weight.
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
The pilot made a takeoff with the airplane loaded 86 lbs over the maximum allowable takeoff gross weight. In addition, he said he set the flaps at 10 degrees. According to the Cessna 150 owners manual, use of flaps will shorten the ground roll, but decrease the climb rate. Once airborne, the pilot could not outclimb the rising terrain. The airplane was observed over a lake with the wings rocking from side to side. The airplane then made a descending left turn into the trees. Post accident investigation disclosed the flaps were set at 13 degrees and the engine was test run satisfactorily. The pilot's medical had expired 5 months prior to the flight. The operator who rented the airplane to the pilot had no records of the pilot's qualifications, experience, or checkout in the Cessna 150.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8725G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15062825
- Airframe hours
- 3,144
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sussex Airport Inc.
- Registered owner
- Sussex Airport Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 22, 1992 · 44 hours before
- Departed
- N63 · Sussex, NJ
- Destination
- N63
- Airport
- N63 · Sussex, runway 3, 3,499 × 75 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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 80 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.