- Date
- September 22, 1999, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Camas, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N704XACessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 2, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990922047019A
- Case key
- 47529
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
A misjudged approach and inadequate airspeed. Sunglare, a delayed decision to go-around, and not maintaining clearance from a fence were factors.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while on a long final approach with sun glare in his eyes, he mistook the runway number for the displaced threshold. On short final, the pilot realized that he was low and slow, and the addition of power near the end of the runway was insufficient to maintain flight. During the go-around maneuver, the tail section of the aircraft contacted the airport boundary fence. The aircraft pitched down and subsequently collided with the ground in a nose-down attitude. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction with the aircraft at the time of the accident. The Airport/Facility Directory indicates that the threshold is displaced 413 feet.
Factual narrative
On September 22, 1999, about 1630 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N704XA, registered to and operated by Aero Maintenance as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with a fence and subsequently the ground during a go-around at Grove Field, Camas, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Camas about one hour prior to the accident.
During an interview and subsequent written statement, the pilot reported that due to other traffic in the pattern, he extended the downwind leg. The pilot stated that while on long final for runway 25, he was aiming for the displaced threshold for landing. The pilot then looked over at his passenger to insure that his seatbelt was on. When the pilot resumed his forward scan into the low sun glare, he did not realize that he mistook the runway number for the displaced threshold. The pilot reported that while on short final, he "Was thus low and slow, and the addition of power near the end of the runway was insufficient to maintain flight." During the go-around maneuver, the tail section of the aircraft contacted the airport boundary fence. The aircraft pitched down and subsequently collided with the ground in a nose-down attitude, collapsing the nose gear.
The pilot reported that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
The Airport/Facility Directory indicates that for runway 25, the threshold is displaced 413 feet.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N704XA
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078945
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aero Maintenance Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- WA10
- Destination
- WA10
- Airport
- WA10 · Grove Field, runway 25, 2,710 × 40 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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 161 total · 93 in this make and model · 93 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TTD, 4 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.