Cessna 150L N10659

Summary

On 12 July 1989 at about 15:45 local time, a Cessna 150L registered N10659, operated by Gull Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 July 1989 at 15:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Doylestown (N88)

Coordinates

40.3096, -75.1199

Aircraft

Cessna 150L

Registration

N10659

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gull Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Doylestown → Sussex

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC89LA161

1 person was seriously injured.

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PREPARATION BY THE PILOT BY TAKING OFF WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADEQUATE RATE OF CLIMB TO CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF AND HIS FAILURE IN MAINTAINING AIRSPEED, WHICH REDUCED HIS ABILITY TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT. THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF, THE ACFT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 TO 75 FT, WHEN HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED WAS SLOWLY DROPPING. HE DID NOT BELIEVE THE ACFT WOULD CLEAR TREES BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY, SO HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, NOSEWHEEL FIRST, BETWEEN THE END OF THE RWY & THE TREES, THEN IT NOSED OVER. RPRTDLY, THE FLAPS WERE IN A FULL DOWN POSITION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.