14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, November 04, 2012 in Gothenburg, NE
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/23/2013
Aircraft: CESSNA 150F, registration: N8375G
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The student pilot was conducting a solo instructional flight in the airport traffic area at the time of the accident. A pilot entering the traffic pattern at the time that the accident pilot was conducting takeoffs and landings reported that, during the accident pilot’s third landing, the accident airplane was “extremely low,” not more than 200 feet above ground level (agl), on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. He noted that the normal pattern altitude was 800 feet agl. He stated that the accident pilot subsequently landed and took off again and that he observed the accident airplane on initial climb after takeoff and beginning to turn to the crosswind leg, but that he did not observe the remainder of the accident pilot’s flight in the traffic pattern or the accident sequence. There were no other witnesses. The student pilot was approaching for a fourth landing when the accident occurred; the airplane came to rest inverted short of the runway threshold. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of a preimpact failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. The damage to the nose of the airplane is consistent with a high-impact angle of about 45 degrees. The high-impact angle and lack of significant ground travel after impact is consistent with a loss of control precipitated by an inadvertent aerodynamic stall.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The student pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed on final approach, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with terrain.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On November 4, 2012, about 1030 central standard time, a Cessna 150F, N8375G, impacted terrain on final approach to runway 32 (3,300 feet by 250 feet, turf) at Quinn Field Airport (GTE), Gothenburg, Nebraska. The student pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The aircraft was registered to and operated by private individuals under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from GTE about 1000.
The student pilot was conducting a solo instructional flight in the airport traffic pattern. He had conducted three landings without incident and was approaching for a fourth landing when the accident occurred. The pilot’s flight instructor reported that the initial three landings appeared routine; however, he did not witness the accident.
A pilot entering the traffic pattern reported that he observed the accident airplane land and stop within about 500 feet. The accident pilot then taxied back and took off again. He reported that on the next trip around the traffic pattern the accident airplane was “extremely low,” not more than 200 feet agl, on the downwind leg. He noted that the normal pattern altitude was 800 feet agl. The accident pilot subsequently landed and took off again. While on final approach, he observed the accident airplane on initial climb after takeoff and beginning to turn crosswind. He subsequently landed and taxied to his hangar. He did not observe the remainder of the accident pilot’s flight in the traffic pattern or the accident sequence.
The airplane impacted an open grass area south of the runway and came to rest inverted.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot held a student pilot certificate and third class medical certificate issued on December 30, 2011. The certificate included a limitation for near vision corrective lenses and was limited in duration to 12 months; not valid for any class after December 31, 2012. A flight instructor endorsement for solo flight privileges, dated November 3, 2012, was present on the certificate.
According to the pilot’s flight instructor, this was the student pilot’s second solo flight. The pilot’s initial solo flight occurred the day before the accident; that flight consisted of one takeoff and landing. The student pilot had logged 13.7 hours total flight time, with 42 landings. The pilot’s prior solo flight was not included in the logbook.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane was Cessna model 150F, serial number 15062475. It was a two-place, single-engine, high-wing airplane, with a fixed tricycle landing gear configuration. The airplane was powered by a 100-horsepower Continental Motors O-200-A engine, serial number 62233-5-A. The airplane was originally issued a utility category, standard airworthiness certificate in November 1965. The current owner purchased the airplane on August 18, 2012.
Maintenance records indicated that the most recent annual inspection was completed on December 10, 2011, at 3,248.1 hours total airframe time. The records noted that maintenance was completed on March 12, 2012, at 3,255.27 hours, which included repair of the airbox and timing of the magnetos, among other items. The most recent maintenance consisted of an engine oil change, completed on October 5, 2012, by the owner. The maintenance logs did not contain any subsequent entries.
The tachometer indicated 3,290.96 hours at the time of the postaccident examination.
METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS
The nearest weather reporting facility was located at the Jim Kelly Field Airport (LXN), about 19 miles southeast of GTE. At 1035, the LXN Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) recorded conditions as: wind from 270 degrees at 4 knots; 10 miles visibility; clear sky; temperature 9 degrees Celsius; dew point 3 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.07 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The airplane impacted an open grass area about 50 feet south of the runway 32 arrival threshold. It came to rest inverted on an approximate heading of 160 degrees magnetic. Ground impact marks were located about 22 feet south of the airplane, with a second ground impact scar located about 7 feet south of the airplane. The initial ground impact marks included a lateral impression consistent with a propeller slash mark, and three depressions, centered on the slash mark, which were consistent with being formed by the landing gear.
The engine cowling was crushed upward and aft, relative to the airframe, at an approximate 45-degree angle. The wings, aft fuselage, and empennage were damaged consistent with impact forces. The flight control surfaces remained attached to the airframe, and continuity was confirmed from each control surface to the cockpit controls. The wing flaps remained attached to the airframe and were positioned about 30 degrees deflection at the time of the examination. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
An autopsy of the pilot was conducted at the Nebraska Institute of Forensic Science, Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 5, 2012. The pilot’s death was attributed to blunt force trauma injuries sustained in the accident.
The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute toxicology report was negative for all drugs in the screening profile. In addition, the report stated that no ethanol was detected in vitreous fluid, nor was any carbon monoxide detected in a blood sample.
NTSB Identification: CEN13FA045
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, November 04, 2012 in Gothenburg, NE
Aircraft: CESSNA 150F, registration: N8375G
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On November 4, 2012, about 1030 central standard time, a Cessna 150F, N8375G, impacted terrain on final approach to runway 32 (3,300 feet by 250 feet, turf) at Quinn Field Airport (GTE), Gothenburg, Nebraska. The student pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The aircraft was registered to and operated by private individuals under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from GTE about 1000.
The student pilot was conducting a solo instructional flight in the airport traffic. He had reportedly conducted three landings without incident and was approaching for a fourth landing when the accident occurred. The pilot’s flight instructor reported observing the initial three landings; however, there were no witnesses to the accident.
The airplane impacted an open grass area about 50 feet south of the runway 32 arrival threshold and came to rest inverted. A ground impact scar about 12 feet long by 3 feet wide was located 7 feet south of the airplane. The engine cowling was crushed upward at an approximate 45-degree angle. The forward fuselage, including the firewall, was deformed. The wings remained attached to the fuselage, with localized areas of damage to both wings. The fuselage was buckled aft of the rear cabin window. The upper/forward portion of the vertical stabilizer was crushed. The flight control surfaces remained attached to the airframe and continuity was confirmed to the cockpit controls. The engine remained attached to the airframe and the propeller remained attached to the engine. One propeller blade was bent forward about 90 degrees near the tip. The second propeller blade was bent aft about 20 degrees over the outboard three-quarters of the blade span. The nose landing gear separated from the airframe and was located near the ground impact scar.
According to the pilot’s flight instructor, this was the student pilot’s second solo flight. The pilot’s initial solo flight occurred the day before the accident; that flight consisted of one takeoff and landing. The student pilot had logged 13.7 hours total flight time, with 42 landings. The pilot’s solo flights were not included in the logbook.
The nearest weather reporting facility was located at the Jim Kelly Field Airport (LXN) located about 19 miles southeast of GTE. At 1035, the LXN Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) recorded conditions as: wind from 270 degrees at 4 knots; 10 miles visibility; clear sky; temperature 9 degrees Celsius; 3 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.07 inches of mercury.
A North Platte man dies in a plane crash at the Gothenburg Municipal Airport.
55-year-old James Ross was a student pilot.
Emergency crews in Gothenburg responded to the airport just after 10:30 Sunday morning.
They found a two-seated plane upside down about 50 yards from the beginning of the grass runway.
Ross had died on scene.
He was the only occupant in the plane.
The Federal Aeronautics Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
An autopsy is scheduled.
Ross was the Director of Information Systems for the City of North Platte.
Mayor Marc Kaschke told KNOP-TV it is a sad moment for the city.
He says Ross was a wonderful employee and dedicated public servant who will be sorely missed.
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