NTSB Factual Report

On September 2, 2007, at 1105 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150J, N60867, was destroyed after collision with terrain and a post-crash fire at the Hazelton Municipal Airport (HZL), Hazelton, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was killed. The local flight originated at Hazelton Airport, about 1100. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91.

According to the airport manager, the purpose of the flight was to search for a windsock that detached from its mount due to strong winds earlier in the week. A law enforcement officer who held a commercial pilot certificate was also familiar with the purpose of the flight, and said he watched the accident flight from takeoff, to ground contact. He was interviewed by telephone and provided a written statement.

According to the witness, the airplane took off on runway 28, climbed to 200 feet, and turned southwest before turning back to the west and paralleling the runway. The airplane then maneuvered back and forth over the west half of the airport "low and slow" before it then turned and flew eastbound toward the approach end of runway 28 in what the witness described as "a very low, tight left downwind for runway 28."

The airplane then entered a tight, steep, low-speed left bank that the witness estimated was greater than 45 degrees. The witness stated, "He made a steep, sharp bank and I said, 'Here comes the cross control stall.’ He over flew the runway centerline, and pulled the nose over sharply. He was in about a 45 degree bank when the left wing just dropped right off and the aircraft dove to the ground." When asked about the engine noise, the witness said the sound was smooth and continuous with no interruption.

Examination of the wreckage, maintenance logs, and the pilot logbook was conducted under the supervision of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspectors. Fire consumed the fuel tank areas of both wings, a large portion of the fuselage, the left horizontal stabilizer, left elevator, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. Both wing leading edges were crushed aft symmetrically and the flaps were retracted. Control cable continuity was established for all of the primary flight controls and the trim. One propeller blade was mostly melted; the other blade was intact and displayed chordwise scratching.

The airplane was manufactured in 1969, had accrued 5,420 total aircraft hours and its most recent annual inspection was completed May 9, 2007, at 5,403 aircraft hours.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. He was issued an FAA third class medical certificate January 5, 2007. Examination of the pilot’s logbook revealed he had logged 661 hours of total flight experience, but a determination of his experience in make and model could not be determined because the pilot’s logbook was partially destroyed by fire.

The FAA’s Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of the pilot. Codeine and morphine were detected in the pilot’s urine, but were not detected in his blood.

At 1054, the weather at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP), Scranton, Pennsylvania, 24 miles northeast of the accident site, included clear skies and winds at 150 degrees at 4 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering at low altitude.