Cessna 150L N17250

Summary

On 11 July 1989 at about 23:42 local time, a Cessna 150L registered N17250 was involved in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 1989 at 23:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Worth, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Meacham (FTW)

Coordinates

32.8206, -97.3601

Aircraft

Cessna 150L

Registration

N17250

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89FA134

1 person was seriously injured.

A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO RAISE THE FLAPS WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. THE FLAP FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT FULL FLAP TAKEOFF WERE THE RESULT OF THE OPERATOR'S IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE OPERATOR'S USE OF A CUSTOM CHECKLIST THAT DEVIATED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S APPROVED CHECKLIST. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT THE FLAPS WERE FULLY RETRACTED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, AND THE OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE INITIAL TRAINING OF THE PILOT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFTOFF THE NEWLY-CERTIFICATED PILOT BECAME AWARE THAT THE FLAPS WERE FULL DOWN. HE WAS UNABLE TO RAISE THEM AND THE AIRCRAFT STALLED WHILE IN A CLOSED TRAFFIC PATTERN. AN AGS-15 NON-SLOBLO FUSE WAS FOUND TO BE BLOWN. THE FLAP DOWN LIMIT SWITCH WAS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT RESULTING IN THE JACKSCREW TRAVELING TO THE MECHANICAL LIMIT & EVENTUALLY CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD. THE FUSE WAS REPLACED TWICE WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 45 DAYS. FOUR OTHER AIRCRAFT OF THE OPERATOR'S FLEET ALSO HAD INCORRECT FUSES INSTALLED. THE PILOT HAD LOWERED THE FLAPS FOR HIS WALK-AROUND. THE OPERATOR (SCHOOL) HAD DEVELOPED THEIR OWN CHECKLIST DIFFERENT FROM THAT CONTAINED IN THE APPROVED OWNER'S MANUAL. THIS CHECKLIST CALLED FOR LOWERING OF FLAPS DURING PRE-START INSPECTION AND RAISING OF FLAPS DURING AFTER-START. THE CHECKLIST DID NOT CONTAIN A SPECIFIC ENTRY TO CHECK THAT THE FLAPS WERE UP PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.