NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT:

On June 30, 1998, at 0943 central daylight time, a Cessna 150H airplane, N22651, was destroyed upon impact with terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering near Weslaco, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot, who occupied the right seat, and the passenger/student pilot, who occupied the left seat, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local personal flight originated from the Mid Valley Airport (T65), Weslaco, Texas, at 0930.

During a telephone interview, conducted by the investigator-in-charge (IIC), the passenger/student pilot's father stated that the two pilots planned to fly to Brownsville, Texas. The aircraft departed Weslaco with a left turnout. The father was at a housing subdivision and the flight was going to fly over the subdivision before going to Brownsville. When the airplane flew over the subdivision, the engine "power was strong with no problems." The subdivision was 3/4 mile from the accident site. The commercial pilot was his company pilot who ran the scheduling for the company aircraft fleet. The commercial pilot had flown the airplane to Corpus Christi over the week end and there were no discrepancies reported with the aircraft. The father further stated that his son loved to fly in all the company aircraft with this pilot, with the father, or his grandfather. The father added that whenever his son was on board, his son would always fly left seat.

Witnesses were personally interviewed by the IIC. One witness at the airport observed the airplane during the initial climb from runway 13. At an altitude of 150 feet agl, the airplane made a left turnout to an easterly direction. Flaps were in the retracted position, the propeller was turning, and the engine sounded "normal."

Two witnesses east of the airport observed the airplane circle two or three times over a housing subdivision. These witnesses estimated the altitude of the airplane approximately 300 feet agl.

Another witness, driving his vehicle south, observed the airplane flying north at approximately 100 feet agl over a cotton field. Then "all of a sudden the airplane, made a sharp (quick) left turn (west) and it just went out of control & just rocking the wings up and down, it was not moving no where, it just went down, rocking up and down until it hit the ground." This witness called 911, and local authorities responded to the site.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION:

The 31 year old commercial/instrument rated pilot held the airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument ratings. According to his logbook, the pilot had accumulated 1,532.1 hours of flight time prior to June 30, 1996. The pilot held a second class medical certificate (without limitations) issued on August 1, 1996. According to FAA records and the pilot's brother, the commercial pilot neither held nor had ever held a flight instructor certificate. The brother reported that the pilot had flown the Cessna on a cross country flight the previous week-end and there were no aircraft discrepancies noted during the flight.

During a personal interview, conducted by the IIC, the student pilot's flight instructor reported that he had given the 15 year old student pilot 17.2 hours of dual instruction. The student pilot planned to solo on his 16th birthday; however, he had not obtained the third class medical certificate. The flight instructor further stated that the flight on the day of the accident was not an instructional flight. The student pilot planned to fly over the subdivision, which he had been involved in the development of, and photograph the opening ceremony.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION:

A review of FAA records revealed that the airworthiness certificate was issued February 23, 1968. The aircraft was registered to the current owner on March 25, 1998. The aircraft logbooks and maintenance records were not located during the accident investigation.

According to the engine representative, the 0-200-A engine was shipped to Cessna Aircraft Company on November 26, 1975. Total time on the engine and aircraft is unknown.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION:

The aircraft came to rest (26 degrees 10.65 North; 097 degrees 56.96 West) on a measured magnetic heading of 210 degrees in a nose low attitude approximately 1/2 mile east of runway 13 of the Mid-Valley Airport. The terrain was a furrowed cotton field. The right wing leading edge skin and rib were crushed aft and the right wing skin was buckled, crushed, and wrinkled toward the trailing edge. Approximately 2 feet of the outboard leading edge of the right wing was bent aft at approximately a 35 degree angle. The right wing green navigation lens was found 8 feet from the wing. The propeller spinner was crushed aft. The empennage was folded and twisted.

The integrity of the fuel system was compromised; however, the fuel caps were secure and there was no evidence of fuel leakage at the filler caps. Three gallons of fuel was drained from the left fuel tank and 3.5 gallons from the right fuel tank. The fuel primer was locked. The fuel selector was in the "ON" position, the cockpit throttle control was in the idle position, and the cockpit mixture control was in the full rich position. The fuel screens at the gascolator and the carburetor were clear of debris. The cockpit carburetor heat control was in the off position; however, the engine air gate was in the full hot position. The tachometer reading was 2,078 hours. The flaps were retracted. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all flight control surfaces to the respective flight controls. Both control yokes were separated their control columns. Both handles on the left yoke were broken off and the right handle of the right yoke was broken from its yoke. The cockpit instrument panel was destroyed. The face of the airspeed indicator read 58 mph and the tachometer 1,350 RPM. Shoulder harnesses were not installed. A digital camera was recovered from the site and forwarded to the NTSB Office of Research and Engineering for examination of the photographic disk.

The aircraft was recovered from the site and was examined at a hangar at the Mid Valley Airport under the surveillance of the IIC. The Continental engine O-200-A, S/N 253988 was removed from the airframe and examined. When the crankshaft was rotated, continuity was confirmed to all the cylinders and the accessory gears. With a differential compression check, compression was confirmed at all the cylinders. The oil screen was clear for oil passage. The spark plugs exhibited moderate wear and light deposits. Both magnetos sparked at all terminals when rotated. The needle valve and metal floats in the carburetor were free to move. No internal pre-impact damage was found when the mufflers were examined.

The McCauley propeller remained attached to the engine with the two propeller blades bent at the hub. Both blades exhibited scoring and one propeller blade had a gouge.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION:

Autopsies and toxicological testing were originally requested by the IIC. They were not performed due to religious preferences. The commercial pilot was an organ donor.

ADDITIONAL DATA:

The Research and Engineering specialists reported that impact damage of the camera and the disk precluded retrieval of the photographs.

To date, the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (6120.1/2) has not been received from the owner/operator of the aircraft.

The aircraft was released to the owner on August 7, 1998. The camera was returned to the owner on August 11, 1998.

NTSB Probable Cause

Failure to maintain adequate airspeed by one of the pilot's on board. A factor was the low altitude.