SEA06CA056

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150L · Hillsboro, OR · February 23, 2006

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
February 23, 2006, 09:10 local (17:10 UTC)
Place
Hillsboro, OR
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N11568Cessna 150L
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 30, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20060223030449A
Case key
63280

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

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Probable cause

The student pilot's delayed use of carburetor heat in carburetor icing conditions while maneuvering. Soft terrain was a factor.

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 powerManeuvering
Carburetor heat - delayedPilot in commandCause
Weather condition - carburetor icing conditionsCause
Fuel system,carburetor - ice
Forced landingEmergency descent/landing
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterEmergency landing
Terrain condition - softFactor
Nose overLanding - roll

Analysis

The student pilot reported that he was practicing maneuvers in the practice area. The student stated that before returning to the airport, he decided to practice a power-off stall. The student climbed to 3,000 feet and leveled off before extending the flaps to full and slowing to 50 mph. The student then pulled on the carburetor heat and throttled back to idle. The student stated that before he pulled up into the stall and before feeling the buffeting, the engine lost power and the propeller stopped. The student turned toward the airport and issued a mayday call to air traffic. The student pilot did not think that he could make a successful landing at the airport and turned toward an open field to initiate an off airport forced landing. During the landing roll on soft terrain, the aircraft nosed over. The probability carburetor icing chart indicated that for the existing temperature of 44 degrees F. and a dew point of 40 degrees F, the aircraft was operating in the serious icing in cruise or climb power range. After the aircraft was recovered from the field, the engine was prepared for an engine run. The engine started without difficulty and was run at varying power settings with no anomalies noted for several minutes before it was shut down.

Factual narrative

On February 23, 2006, about 0910 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 150L, N11568, registered to and operated by Twin Oaks Airpark, as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, experienced a loss of engine power while maneuvering near Hillsboro, Oregon. During the emergency off airport landing, the aircraft nosed over during the landing roll. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Hillsboro, about 30 minutes prior to the accident.

During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the student pilot reported that he was practicing maneuvers in the practice area. The student stated that before returning to the airport, he decided to practice a power-off stall. The student climbed to 3,000 feet and leveled off before extending the flaps to full and slowing to 50 mph. The student then pulled on the carburetor heat and throttled back to idle. The student stated that before he pulled up into the stall and before feeling the buffeting, the engine lost power and the propeller stopped. The student turned toward the airport and issued a mayday call to air traffic. The student pilot did not think that he could make a successful landing at the airport and turned toward an open field to initiate an off airport forced landing. During the landing roll on soft terrain, the aircraft nosed over.

At the time of the accident, the nearest weather reporting facility located at the Portland-Hillsboro Airport was reporting at 0853 a temperature of 44 degrees F. and a dew point of 40 degrees F. The probable carburetor icing chart indicated that for the existing temperature and dew point, the aircraft was operating in the serious icing in cruise or climb power range.

The aircraft was recovered from the accident site and taken back to the owner's facility. On February 28, 2006, in the presence of a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Portland-Hillsboro, Flight Standards District Office; the engine was prepared for an engine run. The engine started without difficulty and was run at varying power settings with no anomalies noted for several minutes before it was shut down.

Aircraft

Registration
N11568
Reported as
Cessna 150L
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15075528
Engine
Continental O-200, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Twin Oaks Airpark
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
7S3 · Hillsboro, OR

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
Student pilot
Age
25
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3
Flight hours
56 total · 51 in this make and model · 13 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day

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 N11568 · 1

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