Cessna 150 N5617E
26 May 2001 · Pryor, Oklahoma, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 26 May 2001 at about 18:50 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N5617E was involved in an accident near Pryor, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Pryor, Oklahoma, United States
- Nearest airport
- Mid-America Industrial (H71)
- Coordinates
- 36.2203, -95.3131
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150
- Registration
- N5617E
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Pryor → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW01FA129
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
the failure of the glider pilot to maintain aircraft control and his delay in releasing the towrope. A contributing factor was the glider's worn elevator trim friction, which resulted in its disengagement.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The glider pilot reported that during takeoff, he had to maintain a crab of 15 degrees into the wind in order to track down the runway centerline. Shortly after lift-off, the glider gained altitude abruptly and ascended to an altitude above the tow airplane. The glider pilot reported that he had encountered "severe turbulence" and was caught in an "extreme updraft." He remembered looking up at the sky, losing sight of the tow airplane, and being "jarred about the cockpit" while attempting to disengage the towrope. He recalled that his altimeter was indicating 440 feet agl approximately midway down the runway at the time he released the towrope, and he estimated the tow airplane to be 150 feet lower than his glider. The glider completed a normal traffic pattern and landed on the runway. The glider pilot mentioned that his glider had a tendency for the trim lever to release from its "full nose down" trim position, which is the recommended takeoff trim lever position, and "snatch" back to the "full nose up" position. He remembered having to push forward during the initial climb to counteract a nose up effect. A witness observed the glider gain altitude "relatively abrupt" and was able to detect that the glider was "decidedly higher" than the tow airplane. He saw the glider break away to the east and thought the problem was over. He continued to observe the tow airplane and stated that from his position the airplane appeared to level off momentarily, and then "nose dived and impacted the ground." A pilot, whose tow flight had departed just prior to the accident, reported that the wind was approximately 9 knots, and he did not experience any turbulence or gusty wind conditions. A functional check of the glider's trim operation was completed by placing the trim lever in the full nose down position (takeoff position) and then hand-tightened the wing nut, which is used to lock the lever in place. The control stick was then pulled aft, and the trim lever would release almost immediately. This procedure was repeated several times with the same result. The airplane's tow hook was found partially separated from the tail. Examination of the towrope revealed that the breakable link was broken.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 150 | N5617E | - | Destroyed |
| Schleicher KA-6E | N9915X | - | - |
Other Cessna 150 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Sep 2001 | Cessna 150M | South St. Paul, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Nov 2001 | Cessna 150M | Dyer, Indiana, United States | Chicago Business Air Center | Fatal | 2 |
| 24 Aug 2001 | Cessna 150J | Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Jun 2001 | Cessna 150J | West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Jun 2001 | Cessna 150L | Manteo, North Carolina, United States | Kitty Hawk Aero Tours | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Jul 2001 | Cessna 150L | Lusby, Maryland, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 10,427 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2001 | Cessna 172RG | Washington, Oklahoma, United States | Airman Flight School Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Jun 2001 | Commander 114-B | Okmulgee, Oklahoma, United States | Gary A. Gallo | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 2001 | Piper PA-28-161 | Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Mar 2001 | Cessna 152 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Mar 2001 | Cessna 210D | Lawton, Oklahoma, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Aug 2001 | Cessna 150 | Miami, Oklahoma, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |