Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 150F near Farmerville, LA — 2017-07-23

Final reportCEN17FA281
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Date
2017-07-23
Location
Farmerville, LA, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 150F
Registration
N8661S
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the lake during a low-level maneuver.

NTSB narrative

While on a personal flight, the airline transport pilot made several low passes over a lake in front of a friend's house. The friend and two other witnesses reported that, on its last pass, the airplane was flying at a low altitude when it pitched down slightly, impacted the surface of the lake, nosed over, and sank. The friend reported hearing the engine "sputter" followed by an increase in power before the impact, and one of the other witnesses reported that the engine was running throughout the low pass. A postaccident examination of the wreckage did not find any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Although the temperature and dew point were conducive to serious icing at glide power, the witness observations and forward bending of the propeller blades were consistent with the engine operating at cruise or climb power at impact. A portable GPS unit found in the wreckage did not contain any data about the accident flight. However, the GPS unit did record data consistent with previous flights where an airplane flew near the accident location. Additionally, one witness stated that the pilot was friends with a neighbor and had conducted numerous low passes over the lake during the previous 4 years.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided low passes over the lake to prevent loss of control.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents14

Related mishaps

CESSNA 150F near Farmerville, LA — 2017-07-23 · Pilot Debrief