Cessna 150L N18030

Summary

On 3 August 1990 at about 16:50 local time, a Cessna 150L registered N18030, operated by American Flight Academy, was involved in an accident near Palmer Township, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 people were on board and one died. One person on the ground also died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 August 1990 at 16:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Palmer Township, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 150L

Registration

N18030

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

American Flight Academy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Allentown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC90FA181

1 person died, including 1 on the ground.

THE FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE STUDENT PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN BUZZING A RESIDENTIAL AREA, AND HIS LACK OF AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS SECOND SOLO OUT OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. ACCORDING TO HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HE WAS TO GO TO THE PRACTICE AREA AND WORK ON HIGH ALTITUDE MANEUVERS. INSTEAD, HE WENT TO A RESIDENTIAL AREA WHERE HIS GRANDPARENTS LIVED, AND CIRCLED THEIR HOUSE AND A LOCAL SWIMMING POOL WHERE FRIENDS WERE. ALTITUDE REPORTS RANGED FROM 150 FT TO 300 FT AGL. HE WAS OBSERVED TO PULL UP, THEN FALL OFF ON ONE WING, ENTER A SPIN AND STRIKE A CAR BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. WITNESSES INDICATED HE HAD TOLD SEVERAL PEOPLE ON THE NIGHT PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT THAT HE WOULD FLY BY THE SWIMMING POOL AND HIS GRANDPARENTS HOUSE THE NEXT DAY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.