Cessna 152 N4963H

Summary

On 26 June 1995 at about 14:37 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N4963H was involved in an accident near Ben Wheeler, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 June 1995 at 14:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Ben Wheeler, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.4091, -95.6608

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N4963H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tyler → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95FA259

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL LOW LEVEL FLYING AND NOT MAINTAINING A CLEARANCE FROM THE TREES. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FULLY FUELED BEFORE TWO LARGE INDIVIDUALS WITH THEIR EQUIPMENT GOT INTO THE AIRCRAFT FOR AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC FLIGHT IN THE LOCAL AREA. THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT FOR THIS AIRCRAFT IS 1,675 POUNDS AND THE CALCULATED TAKEOFF WEIGHT WAS 1,764.3 POUNDS. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE 'FLYING MUCH TOO LOW AND SLOW JUST ABOVE THE TREES.' THE WITNESSES STATED THAT 'THE PLANE SURE DID WOBBLE' AND IT APPEARED TO THEM THAT 'THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING TO SLOW TO STAY UP.' ANOTHER WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE'S 'MOTOR WAS CUTTING OUT' AND 'THEN HE HIT THE TREE THEN THE GROUND.' ANOTHER WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE GO 'STRAIGHT DOWN' AND THAT 'HE DID NOT CLIP A TREE.' THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ON THE NORTH EDGE OF A GROUP OF TREES 25 TO 30 FEET HIGH IN A NOSE DOWN POSITION. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO INDICATIONS OF ANOMALIES THAT COULD HAVE AFFECTED ITS PERFORMANCE. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND IN A 7 DEGREE DOWN POSITION. LEAVES AND TWIGS WERE FOUND IN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WHEEL FAIRING WHICH MATCHED THE LEAVES ON THE TREES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.