Cessna 150G N3144X

Summary

On 3 November 1992 at about 16:15 local time, a Cessna 150G registered N3144X, operated by Donald K. Sparks, was involved in an accident near Delta Junction, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 November 1992 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

63.6997, -144.8899

Aircraft

Cessna 150G

Registration

N3144X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Donald K. Sparks

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Tok

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC93LA011

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S (CFI) IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION TO ATTEMPT A DOWN WIND FORCED LANDING IN HIGH SURFACE WIND CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A STUDENT PILOT UNDER DUAL INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTOR ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT COMPLETED A CRUISE DESCENT WITH LOW ENGINE POWER AND DEVELOPED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND EFFORTS TO REGAIN POWER WITH CARBURETOR HEAT AND FULL THROTTLE WERE INEFFECTIVE. ATTEMPTS TO POSITION FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT A BLM STRIP WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL DUE TO HIGH WINDS. AN ALTERNATE LANDING AREA WAS SELECTED ON A DRY RIVER BED, HOWEVER, THE DECISION TO TURN INTO THE WIND WAS NOT MADE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 200 FOOT AGL, TOO LATE TO AVOID A TAILWIND LANDING. DURING THE TAILWIND LANDING THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE WHEEL WAS DESTROYED ON INITIAL IMPACT AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.