Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Cessna 150 Commuter, operated by Florida Institute of Technology, N150EC: Accident occurred December 19, 2016 in Palm Bay, Brevard County, Florida



The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 


http://registry.faa.gov/N150EC



  
Location: Palm Bay, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA071
Date & Time: 12/19/2016, 1400 EST
Registration: N150EC
Aircraft: CESSNA 150
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fire/smoke (non-impact)
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On December 19, 2016, about 1400 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150M, N150EC, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following an in-flight smoke/fire event while maneuvering near Palm Bay, Florida. The flight instructor and student pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airplane departed Melbourne International Airport (MLB), Melbourne, Florida, about 1300.

Both the instructor and the student provided written statements, and their descriptions of the events were consistent throughout.

During recovery from a simulated engine failure, both pilots first smelled and then observed smoke in the cockpit. The instructor took the flight controls, selected a forced landing site, and maneuvered the airplane for landing. Upon touchdown, the nose landing gear settled into low brush and soft terrain, where the airplane stopped, nosed-over, and came to rest inverted.

The instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single engine and instrument airplane. His Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first-class medical certificate was issued on July 25, 2013. The instructor reported 309 total hours of flight experience, of which 3 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The student pilot was issued a student pilot certificate and an FAA third class medical certificate on May 19, 2014. She reported 75 total hours of flight experience, of which 3 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The two-seat, single-engine, high-wing, fixed-gear airplane was manufactured in 1976, and equipped with a Continental O-200-A series, 100-horsepower reciprocating engine. According to the airplane's maintenance records, the most recent annual inspection was completed on October 31, 2016, at 5,139 total aircraft hours.

At 1615, the weather reported at MLB; located 18 miles south of the accident site, included clear skies and wind from 090 degrees at 5 knots. The temperature was 27 degrees C, the dew point was 23 degrees C, and the altimeter setting was 30.27 inches of mercury.

An FAA inspector examined the wreckage at the site, and all major components were accounted for at the scene. Examination of the engine compartment revealed wires connected to the battery solenoid exhibited thermal damage. When the damaged wires were moved, the navigational gyros energized, the lights illuminated, and the flaps deployed. The examination of the airplane was then suspended.

Detailed examination by the NTSB revealed the wire (part number: PA5, 4 gauge) that connected the battery solenoid to the starter solenoid displayed chafing and thermal damage to the insulation along a 3-inch section of its length. The wire was placed in its approximate normally-installed location, and the burned area corresponded to the round shape of the right rear muffler. Multiple 18-gauge wires in the area also exhibited melted insulation. The back plate of the right muffler was no longer attached to the muffler and exhibited evidence of corrosion. It could not be determined if the back plate of the muffler had separated due to corrosion or impact forces.



Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 20, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/25/2013
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/13/2016
Flight Time: 309 hours (Total, all aircraft), 3 hours (Total, this make and model), 241 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 40 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 10 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft) 

Student Pilot Information


Certificate: Student
Age: 36, Female
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/19/2014
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  75 hours (Total, all aircraft), 3 hours (Total, this make and model), 10 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 9 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 3 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information


Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N150EC
Model/Series: 150 M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 15078832
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 10/13/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 13 Hours
Engines: Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 5139 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-200-A
Registered Owner: ROSSER TIMOTHY G
Rated Power: 100 hp
Operator: Florida Institute of Technology
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Pilot School (141) 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MLB, 33 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site:  18 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1353 EST
Direction from Accident Site: 170°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 9 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 90°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.27 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / 23°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Precipitation
Departure Point: MELBOURNE, FL (MLB)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: MELBOURNE, FL (MLB)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1300 EST
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: In-Flight
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude:  27.870000, -80.557778 (est)




NTSB Identification: ERA17LA071
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, December 19, 2016 in Palm Bay, FL
Aircraft: CESSNA 150, registration: N150EC
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On December 19, 2016, about 1400 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150M, N150EC, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after experiencing smoke in the cockpit while maneuvering near Palm Bay, Florida. The flight instructor and a student pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airplane departed Melbourne International Airport (MLB), Melbourne, Florida, about 1300.

Both the flight instructor and the student pilot provided written statements, and their descriptions of the events were consistent throughout.

During recovery from a simulated engine failure, both pilots first smelled and then observed smoke in the cockpit. The flight instructor took the flight controls, selected a forced landing site, and maneuvered the airplane for landing. Upon touchdown, the nose landing gear settled into low brush and soft terrain, where the airplane stopped, nosed-over, and came to rest inverted.

The flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single engine and instrument airplane. His Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first-class medical certificate was issued on July 25, 2013. The instructor reported 309 total hours of flight experience, of which 3 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The student pilot was issued a student pilot certificate and an FAA third class medical certificate on May 19, 2014. She reported 75 total hours of flight experience, of which 3 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The two-seat, single-engine, high-wing, fixed-gear airplane was manufactured in 1976, and equipped with a Continental O-200-A series, 100-horsepower reciprocating engine. According to the airplane's maintenance records, the most recent annual inspection was completed on October 31, 2016, at 5,139 total aircraft hours.

At 1615, the weather reported at MLB; located 18 miles south of the accident site, included clear skies and wind from 090 degrees at 5 knots. The temperature was 27 degrees C, the dew point was 23 degrees C, and the altimeter setting was 30.27 inches of mercury.

An FAA inspector examined the wreckage at the site, and all major components were accounted for at the scene. Examination of the engine compartment revealed wires connected to the battery relay exhibited thermal damage.

The airplane was retained for further examination at a later date.

5 comments:

  1. 300 hour CFI's need way more seasoning before they teach.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree, 2 or 3 times probably.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ummm - maybe a new cfi needs more experience but it's relevant how in this situation?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Maybe a more experienced cfi would have been luckier. Also a more experienced cfi would probably have refused to fly that worn out aircraft, while a new cfi would be flying something properly maintained and in acceptable condition.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Florida has an Institute of Technology? What do they teach, how to screw in a light bulb? Maybe how to shoot straight while holding a beer?
    So, how does a young CFI get experience without experience? Maybe require CFI apprenticeships.

    ReplyDelete