Cessna 150M N459U

Summary

On 1 May 1998 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 150M registered N459U was involved in an accident near Levelland, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 May 1998 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Levelland, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Levelland Municipal (Q24)

Coordinates

33.5706, -102.3600

Aircraft

Cessna 150M

Registration

N459U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA202

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's inaccurate weather evaluation, subsequent encounter with a severe downdraft, and failure (or inability) to compensate for the wind (downdraft) condition. The high density altitude was a related factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot reported that during an instructional flight, the airplane encountered a severe downdraft that it was unable to out climb, while in the traffic pattern. This occurred after the flight departed from runway 17 to practice takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern. The CFI reported that after turning crosswind, while the engine was still operating at full takeoff power, the airplane encountered a severe downdraft, which resulted in a rate of descent that exceeded 1,000 feet per minute. The CFI turned the airplane away from high tension power lines as he maneuvered the airplane towards a plowed field to the east-southeast of the airport. The CFI reduced power before the airplane impacted the ground in a landing attitude with the flaps retracted. The operator stated that virga and dust devils were observed in all quadrants near the time of the accident. An FAA inspector also observed signs of downdrafts and virga while en route to the accident site. On a previous flight, the operator experienced 'strong up and downdrafts due to the highly unstable weather pattern.' The density altitude was calculated by the investigator-in-charge to be 5,600 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.