# NTSB SEA06LA053: Cessna 150, N5611E, White Salmon, WA, February 16, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 16, 2006, 08:15 local (16:15 UTC) - Place: White Salmon, WA - Coordinates: 45.802223, -121.479446 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8022&lon=-121.4794&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 29, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63240 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA06LA053 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63240/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06LA053 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and the subsequent inadvertent stall/spin to the ground. Contributing factors were the inadequate preflight by the pilot, and the airplane's fuel contamination by water. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - fluid,fuel - contamination,water (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis A witness said she heard a loud engine noise and turned to see a bright yellow airplane taking off. Seconds later, she said the noise stopped, and she turned to see the airplane "crash." The airplane was not equipped with shoulder harnesses; the pilot was critically injured with a broken eye socket, broken cheekbone, bruises on the brain, and possible broken vertebrae. The Sheriff's Deputy said that he arrived on scene approximately 30 minutes after the accident. He said "the temperature was below freezing, the sun was shining and a heavy layer of frost was on the ground. Frost was melting off the aircraft and water was dripping onto the ground." He said it had rained heavily the past several days and he was told that the airplane had been parked outside. On February 17, 2006, a FAA inspector and a representative of the airplane's manufacturer went to the scene and found the airplane approximately 500 feet west of the departure end of runway 17 of a private grass 1,600 foot long airstrip. They found the fuselage nose down with both wings bent forward and compression damage to both outboard leading edges. The right wing root attachment points had separated. The wing strut attachment points were secure. The empennage was broken aft of the cabin area, and rotated 90 degrees toward the right wing; the right horizontal stabilizer was holding the back portion of the fuselage off the ground. The airplane had an STC engine conversion to a Lycoming O-320, 150 horse powered engine. Water was found in the carburetor and approximately 1-2 tablespoons of frozen water were found in the fuel strainer. Minimal rotational signatures were noted on the propeller. Due to the serious nature of the pilot's injuries, he was not interviewed and a written statement was never obtained. FAA pilot medical application records indicate that the pilot had more that 23,000 hours of flight experience. ## Factual narrative On February 16, 2006, at approximately 0815 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 150, N5611E, was substantially damaged upon impact with terrain following a loss of engine power on takeoff at Port Elsner Airport, White Salmon, Washington. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was seriously injured. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight which was originating at the time the accident. The pilot had not filed a flight plan. A witness, who was hiking in the area, said she heard a loud engine noise and turned to see a bright yellow airplane taking off. Seconds later, the noise stopped, and she turned to see the airplane "crash." The pilot was critically injured with a broken eye socket, broken cheekbone, bruises on the brain, and possible broken vertebrae. The Klickitat County Sheriff's Deputy said that he arrived on scene approximately 30 minutes after the accident. He said "the temperature was below freezing, the sun was shining and a heavy layer of frost was on the ground. Frost was melting off the aircraft and water was dripping onto the ground." He said it had rained heavily the past several days and he was told that the airplane had been parked outside. On February 17, 2006, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector and a representative of the airplane's manufacturer went to the scene and found the airplane approximately 500 feet west of the departure end of runway 17 of a private grass 1,600 foot long airstrip. They found the fuselage nose down with both wings bent forward and compression damage to both outboard leading edges. The right wing root attachment points had separated. The wing strut attachment points were secure. The empennage was broken aft of the cabin area, and rotated 90 degrees toward the right wing; the right horizontal stabilizer was holding the back portion of the fuselage off the ground. The aircraft was not equipped with shoulder harnesses. The airplane had an STC engine conversion to a Lycoming O-320, 150 horse power engine. Water was found in the carburetor and approximately 1-2 tablespoons of frozen water were found in the fuel strainer. Minimal rotational signatures were noted on the propeller. Due to the serious nature of the pilot's injuries, he was not interviewed and a written statement was never obtained. FAA pilot medical application records indicate that the pilot had more that 23,000 hours of flight experience. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5611E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5611E-2007-11-28), registration cancelled 2007-11-28, S/N 17111, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150 - Registry model: [Cessna 150](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150) (registry code 2071802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17111 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bernard M. Elsner - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 75WA, White Salmon, WA - Destination: 75WA - Airport: 75WA, Port Elsner Airport, runway 17, 1,600 × 40 ft, ice ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: serious; flight engineer, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 23,000 total, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 25 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: DLS, 17 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060216029549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060216029549A), Feb 16, 2006: Cessna 150, Husum, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft departed Husum, Washington, from the aircraft owner's/pilot's property, became airborne then impacted the earth 200 yards from takeoff. The… ## Other investigations on N5611E (1) 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. - [NTSB SEA67D0050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA67D0050), May 19, 1966: Cessna 150 (N5611E), Beaverton, OR, substantial damage 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.