Cessna 150H N3915V

Summary

On 16 June 2004 at about 23:00 local time, a Cessna 150H registered N3915V was involved in an accident near Mount Pleasant, Michigan, 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

16 June 2004 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

43.7136, -84.7078

Aircraft

Cessna 150H

Registration

N3915V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mount Pleasant → Mount Pleasant

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI04CA140

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper decision to takeoff downwind from the rough field and his failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor to the accident was the rough/uneven alfalfa field and the tailwind experienced during the takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane impacted terrain during an attempted takeoff from an alfalfa field. The airplane was situated in the field because of a forced landing due to fuel exhaustion experienced the previous day. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration told the pilot that a takeoff from the field was not advised and a local mechanic informed the pilot that the airplane could be easily towed to a nearby airport. The pilot stated that, "after much deliberation and speaking with other pilots they suggested a takeoff from the field." The pilot reported he walked the length of the field and then decided to perform a "high-speed taxi" to evaluate the area. The pilot stated he selected "minimal flaps to relieve pressure from the nose wheel." The pilot reported that the airplane contacted some bumps in the field and the airplane veered to the right. The pilot stated he "pulled back a bit on the controls and the plane went up a little and [touched] the left wing and flipped over." The pilot reported that the only reason he attempted to "move the plane" was because there were thunderstorms approaching the area. The airplane had become airborne and traveled north approximately 210 feet before the nose gear impacted the terrain. The local winds at the time of the accident were from the south-southeast at six knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.