Cessna 150J N50753

Summary

On 31 August 2008 at about 22:05 local time, a Cessna 150J registered N50753, operated by Samuel F. Hutchinson, was involved in an accident near Spring Grove, Illinois, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 August 2008 at 22:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Spring Grove, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Pillow Hill Airstrip (3LL4)

Coordinates

42.4531, -88.2050

Aircraft

Cessna 150J

Registration

N50753

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Samuel F. Hutchinson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spring Grove → Spring Grove

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI08CA276

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and his failure to maintain clearance from the trees. Contributing factors were the trees and the high density altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he taxied the two-seat Cessna 150 airplane from the hangar onto the privately owned 2,000-foot grass airstrip and departed to the north. A witness stated that he observed the airplane take off, but that it was slower than usual. The witness stated that the airplane usually gained altitude quickly after takeoff, but it seemed to nose-up and began "plowing forward" without gaining altitude. The airplane banked hard left and hit some trees. The airplane nosed over when it impacted the ground. The pilot, his son, and his 18-month-old grandson received minor injuries. The pilot reported that the engine was operating properly. The inspection of the airplane revealed no pre-existing anomalies to the airframe or engine. The pilot indicated that there were 100-foot trees north of the departure end of the runway, but that there were no obstacles to the south. The winds were from the east at about 9 knots. The local temperature was about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which produced a density altitude of about 2,914 feet. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by a "more thorough assessment of density altitude and choice of runway heading for departure."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.