NTSB Factual Report

On May 10, 1996, at 1610 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150, N6303S, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain after striking a static wire and power lines near Welch, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot and the one passenger sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, no flight plan was filed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. The aircraft departed Welch Municipal Airport (I25) on a local flight at approximately 1550.

One witness reported to the West Virginia State Police that he saw a plane "...the same one that was on TV at the crash scene. The plane was flying right here in front of the house and almost hit some power lines. I didn't see any smoke or anything. It appeared to be running fine. The plane looked like it was doing tricks or something. It would go straight up in the air and then come back down. Then I looked out a side window and saw the plane go straight up the hollow behind our house. About ...two (2) to five (5) minutes later I heard two (2) loud noises. Then I saw some white colored smoke blowing down from the area of some power lines. I just thought a transformer had blown up."

A second witness reported to the West Virginia State Police that he "...met up with [the pilot ] and [the passenger] at [a bar] in Welch at 2:40 P.M. on the day they crashed. We decided to go up on the mountain so they could fly. They bought a six (6) pack of beer and each of them drank just a little out of one can." The witness reported that when they got to the airport the pilot did some work on the plane, taxied out to the runway, then "...he brought [the airplane] back and worked on it some more. After he worked on it a few minutes, he revved it up and it sounded real good. They got in the plane and I remember seeing [pilot] help fasten [passenger] in. I slammed the door shut on [passenger's] side and they took off."

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. Toxicological examination of specimens from both airplane occupants was conducted by the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on July 30 1996 and September 5, 1996. The toxicological report for the pilot indicated 183.000 mg/dl of ethanol detected in the blood and 228.000 mg/dl of ethanol detected in the urine. The toxicological report for the passenger indicated 134.000 mg/dl of ethanol detected in the blood and 2.000 mg/dl of acetaldehyde detected in the blood.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol which led to his failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear obstacles. A factor was his intentional buzzing.