# NTSB WPR12LA160: Cessna 150H, N6616S, Kent, WA, April 7, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 7, 2012, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Kent, WA - Coordinates: 47.337223, -122.103614 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.3372&lon=-122.1036&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 9, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Textron Aviation, Federal Aviation Administration, Continental Motors - NTSB case key (mKey): 83322 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12LA160 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83322/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83322 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA160 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering in the traffic pattern, which resulted in a collision with trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he was on a personal cross-country flight to visit friends and that he had intended to land at a private uncontrolled airstrip; however, he did not recall the events leading up to the accident. A witness in the area reported hearing an unusual sound that drew his attention to the airplane. He observed the airplane flying about 20 ft above the ground in a 90-degree, right-wing-low attitude when it collided with trees. The airplane came to rest inverted about midfield of the airstrip on a street adjacent to the airstrip in a residential neighborhood. A postaccident airframe and engine examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that, while the pilot was maneuvering the airplane on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for the destination airstrip, he failed to maintain control and subsequently collided with trees. ## Factual narrative On April 7, 2012, about 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N6616S impacted trees, and came to rest inverted near Crest Airpark, Kent, Washington. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to an individual, and operated by the pilot under the provision of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Sanderson Field Airport, Shelton, Washington.The pilot reported that the flight was a personal cross-country flight to Kent to visit friends. He stated that he did not recall the events leading up to the accident. A local area witness heard an unusual noise, which drew his attention to the airplane. He observed the airplane flying about 20 feet above the ground, in a 90-degree, right-wing low attitude, when it collided with a tree. The airplane subsequently came to rest inverted alongside a street in a residential neighborhood. The witness responded to the accident site, and reported that there was no fuel leaking from the airplane, and there was no fire. During the postaccident wreckage examination, the engine was prepared for an engine run, which included the use of a header tank in order to start the engine. The engine started and was run to 1,800 rpm for a few minutes before it was shutdown. At the conclusion of the examination, no mechanical malfunctions or failures were revealed with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The uncontrolled airstrip was adjacent to the street, and the airplane came to rest mid-field of the airport. The nearest weather reporting facility was located at Seattle-Tacoma Airport, Seattle, Washington, approximately 11 nautical miles northwest of the accident site. At 1453, the wind was from 340 degrees at 13 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6616S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6616S-2018-01-08), registration cancelled 2018-01-08, S/N 15067416, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150H - Registry model: [Cessna 150H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150h) (registry code 2071818) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15067416 - Year built: 1967 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, January 11, 2012 - Departed: SHN, Shelton, WA - Destination: S36, KENT, WA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: S36, Crest Airpark, runway 33, 3,288 × 40 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 115 total, 95 in this make and model, 60 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 13 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: SEA, 11 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 20120407004729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120407004729A), Apr 7, 2012: Cessna 150H, Kent, WA, Destroyed. On April 7, 2012 at 1430 pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N6616S was being operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 flight, lost… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 6, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83322. 14.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 893 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425907&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 7.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425908&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - CMI Engine Field Run Report (item 3, .PDF, 11 photos, 422 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425909&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CMI%20Engine%20Field%20Run%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation – Cessna (item 4, .PDF, 266 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425910&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation%20%E2%80%93%20Cessna-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation – CMI (item 5, .PDF, 225 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425911&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation%20%E2%80%93%20CMI-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 6, .PDF, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425912&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - FAA Accident Photos (item 7, .PDF, 18 photos, 5.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425913&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Accident%20Photos-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Map of Accident Site (Google Earth) (item 8, .PDF, 206 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425914&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Map%20of%20Accident%20Site%20(Google%20Earth)-Master.PDF 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.