Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 150 near Dorado, PR — 2015-08-22

Final reportERA15LA323
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Date
2015-08-22
Location
Dorado, PR, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 150
Registration
N4057V
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

A short circuit of unknown origin, which resulted in electrical arcing in the engine compartment and smoke in the cockpit, which necessitated a precautionary landing to a field.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot had flown the airplane earlier in the day and had not noted any anomalies during that flight or during the preflight inspection and engine run up for the accident flight. About 15 minutes after takeoff on the accident flight, the pilot smelled smoke and decided to return to the departure airport. The smoke began to enter the cockpit, and the pilot conducted a precautionary landing in an open field; however, during the landing roll, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed evidence of engine compartment electrical arcing and melting of the plastic covering of the battery grounding wire. The source of the short circuit could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have landed at TJIG instead of turning back after smoke was detected.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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