- Date
- February 15, 1997, 12:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Price, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5514GCessna 150J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970215047519A
- Case key
- 42567
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 flight instructor's failure to ensure that the dual student maintained adequate airspeed.
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 flight instructor (CFI) stated that during the recovery from a simulated engine-out procedure, the student applied full power, the nose of the airplane pitched up, and the stall warning horn sounded. The CFI took control of the airplane and pushed the nose down. A few seconds later, the stall warning horn sounded again, and the airplane stalled. The CFI pushed the nose of the airplane down and began to retract the flaps to regain airspeed. When the airspeed had increased to 60-75 mph, the CFI pulled the nose of the airplane up; however, the airplane stalled again. The CFI stated that he was unsure if the airplane would recover, and opted to continue the descent to a road. Just before lining up with the road, the right horizontal stabilizer collided with a road-side reflector pole. The CFI was unable to maintain control of the airplane, which touched down and bounced sideways. The airplane then touched down again and collided with a snow bank. The CFI stated that there was some wind at altitude; however, on the surface, it was calm.
Factual narrative
On February 15, 1997, at 1245 mountain standard time, a Cessna 150J, N5514G, registered to and operated by Arrow West Aviation as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, collided with a roadway marker and snow bank during a simulated emergency landing near Price, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The flight had originated from Price, Utah, about 45 minutes prior to the accident.
During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the flight instructor reported that after the student had completed practice flight maneuvers, the flight instructor pulled the throttle control to idle to simulate an engine out. The student established a best glide rate and extended 30 degrees of flaps during the descent to a road. The flight instructor stated that when the airplane was approximately 300 feet above ground level, the student applied full power to go around. The nose of the airplane pitched up and the flight instructor took control and pushed the nose of the airplane down as the stall warning horn sounded. A few seconds later, the stall horn sounded again and the airplane immediately stalled. The flight instructor stated that he pushed the nose down and began to retract the flaps to regain airspeed. When the airspeed had increased to 65-70 mph, the flight instructor then pulled the nose of the airplane up to regain lost altitude, however, the airplane stalled again. The flight instructor stated that he was unsure if the airplane would recover, and opted to continue the descent to the road. Just prior to the airplane lining up on the road, the right horizontal stabilizer collided with a road-side reflector pole. The flight instructor was unable to maintain control of the airplane, which touched down and bounced sideways. The airplane then touched down again and collided with a snow bank near the road, damaging the left wing and collapsing the nose gear.
The flight instructor stated that there was some wind at altitude, however, on the surface it was calm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5514G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15071014
- Airframe hours
- 6,720
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Arrow West Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 4, 1996 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- PUC · UT
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
- 24
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 850 total · 600 in this make and model · 750 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PVU, 60 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.