Cessna 150 N8894G

Summary

On 5 July 2002 at about 20:28 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N8894G was involved in an accident near Griswold, Connecticut, United States. One person was 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

5 July 2002 at 20:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Griswold, Connecticut, United States

Nearest airport

None

Coordinates

41.5984, -72.7555

Aircraft

Cessna 150

Registration

N8894G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Griswold → Spruce Airport

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD02LA068

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper pre-flight planning and decision to depart a field with insufficient runway. Factors were the rough/uneven terrain, high obstructions and the tailwind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-certificated pilot made an emergency landing in an alfalfa field adjacent to a privately maintained airport. Instead of towing the airplane to the airport, the pilot elected to take-off from the 1,700-1,800 foot long field, which he described as "rolling and a little bumpy", with a tailwind. Additionally, there was a 25-foot high tree line located at the departure end of the field. During the take-off roll, the pilot had to keep the wings from contacting the ground, and said that he should have aborted the take-off after the airplane became momentarily airborne. The airplane climbed after it became airborne a second time. The airplane brushed the trees, and the pilot made a hard landing in another alfalfa field located on the other side of the tree line. Interpolation of the Cessna 150 Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) Take-off Performance Chart revealed that the airplane required 2,009 feet of takeoff distance to clear a 50 foot obstacle from a dry, grass runway with an 8-knot tailwind. The FAA suspended the pilot's certificates and ratings in 1999, and his most recent FAA medical certificate was issued on May 21, 1998. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane or engine. Witnesses reported the winds at the time of takeoff, consisted of a tailwind of 8 to 10 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.