Cessna 150F N7880F

Summary

On 12 June 1996 at about 01:50 local time, a Cessna 150F registered N7880F was involved in an accident near Placerville, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 June 1996 at 01:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Placerville, California, United States

Coordinates

38.7303, -120.7993

Aircraft

Cessna 150F

Registration

N7880F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96LA220

2 people were seriously injured.

the pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol which led to his failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear surrounding terrain. A factor was the pilot's intentional buzzing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported that the aircraft was seen flying within 10 feet of water skiers on a nearby lake 1 hour before the accident. The aircraft subsequently flew into an area of rising terrain, passed low over a residence, and impacted a 60-foot tree about 40 feet above the ground. The propeller did not show evidence of engine power at impact. The right fuel tank contained 1 1/3 gallons of fuel; a postcrash fire occurred in the vicinity of the left fuel tank. Paramedics reported that the unlicensed pilot and his passenger were combative and smelled of alcohol. On admission to the hospital 1.7 hours after the accident, the pilot's blood alcohol level measured 0.237 percent. The airplane owner said that the pilot was his mechanic and was not authorized to fly the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.