- Date
- July 3, 2000, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Nampa, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6875GCessna 150L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000703012709A
- Case key
- 49604
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 use of the mixture control.
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 reported that she leaned the mixture prior to takeoff. Shortly after departure, during the climb, the pilot readjusted the mixture (aft) due to poor aircraft performance. Shortly after readjusting the mixture, the engine began to run rough and eventually quit. The pilot initiated a forced landing to an open field near the airport. During the landing roll, the aircraft's nose gear collapsed. Substantial damage was reported to the aircraft's left wing, left aileron and firewall. The density altitude at Nampa Airport, during the same timeframe as the accident, was approximately 3,890 feet.
Factual narrative
On July 3, 2000, about 1300 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Cessna 150L, N6875G, registered to and operated by Flight Quest, was substantially damaged during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. The accident occurred in an open field near Nampa, Idaho. The student pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft was uninjured. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local 14CFR91 instructional flight. The flight originated from Nampa Municipal Airport (field elevation 2,573 feet above mean sea level) approximately 5 minutes prior to the accident. There was no fire and no report of ELT activation.
The pilot reported that she leaned the mixture prior to takeoff. Shortly after departure, during the climb, the pilot readjusted the mixture (aft) due to poor engine performance. Shortly after readjusting the mixture, the engine began to run rough and eventually quit. The pilot initiated a forced landing to an open field near the airport. During the landing roll, the aircraft's nose gear collapsed. Substantial damage was reported to the aircraft's left wing, left aileron and firewall.
At 1353 MDT, the surface observation for Caldwell, Idaho, five miles northwest of Nampa, reported winds from 310 degrees at 7 knots; temperature 22 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 29.88 inches of mercury.
The owner's manual for the aircraft (section 2) states, "Prior to take-off from fields above 5,000 feet elevation, the mixture should be leaned to give maximum RPM [rotations per minute] in a full-throttle, static run up." The density altitude at Nampa Airport, during the same timeframe as the accident, was approximately 3,890 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6875G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15072375
- Airframe hours
- 7,239
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Flight Quest
- Registered owner
- George R. Crowe
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 26, 2000 · 123 hours before
- Departed
- S67 · Nampa, ID
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 53 total · 53 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EUL, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.