NTSB Factual Report

On June 23, 2009, at 0953 central daylight time, a Cessna 150G, N2719S, was substantially damaged when it impacted a pond short of the runway during an attempted go-around at Mineola, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was seriously injured. The local flight originated approximately 0930.

According to the FAA inspector who went to the scene, the pilot had just purchased the airplane. He was supposed to fly with another pilot who was working at the airport. When the latter failed to arrive, the pilot decided to taxi the airplane and go look for him. The pilot told the FAA inspector that it was not his intention to fly but to "fast taxi" the airplane down the runway. The airplane "got away from him" and "jumped into the air." He made several attempts to land, each time resulting in a go-around.

According to the pilot's accident report, it was his intention to practice "fast taxi to see if I could keep the airplane straight down [the] runway. Apparently, when I reached takeoff speed, the airplane rotated and I was airborne." The pilot flew around the pattern and attempted to land. He said his final approach was too short and he was too high, so he attempted a go-around. He said he encountered turbulence and that was the last thing he remembered.

Witnesses said the airplane took off from runway 17 and "appeared to climb out on a normal profile." The the pilot started making "very steep naked turns and was flying erratically." The first landing attempt resulted in a go-around. "[He made an] abrupt 90 degree bank turn to the left with full flaps down and it appeared that the aircraft entered a stall about 3/4 of the way through the 180 degree turn, but the pilot was able to recover. The pilot made multiple landing attempts. On his last attempt, another witness said the airplane touched down midfield. The pilot attempted a go-around, entered a steep left bank and impacted the pond 450 feet east and short of runway 17. A grazing cow was struck and killed.

The FAA inspector said the pilot's logbook indicated he had held a student pilot certificate, dated November 21, 1980. They did not see the actual certificate and there is no record that the pilot possessed a current medical certificate. The pilot's logbook indicated he had logged a total of 27.4 hours, all of which was in a Cessna 152.

The airplane owner reported to FAA that the pilot's check had been returned for insufficient funds.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during taxi, and his subsequent failure to maintain control after the inadvertent takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of flight experience.