Cessna 150M N66255

Summary

On 21 July 2014 at about 19:25 local time, a Cessna 150M registered N66255 was involved in an accident near Russian Flat, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 July 2014 at 19:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Russian Flat, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Russian Flat (M42)

Coordinates

46.7253, -110.4194

Aircraft

Cessna 150M

Registration

N66255

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Russian Flat → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14LA305

1 person died.

The pilot's inadequate preflight performance planning and his operation of the airplane outside of the manufacturer's specified performance limitations, which resulted in his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall/spin.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot attempted to take off from an uncontrolled grass runway with an uphill grade; the airplane subsequently impacted an open area of swamp land about 570 ft beyond the end of the runway. The airplane impacted in a right-wing, nose-low attitude; the impact damage was consistent with a near-vertical descent. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated to be over 8,200 ft. Review of airplane manufacturer's takeoff performance charts revealed that the conditions present at the time of the accident exceeded the airplane's takeoff performance limitations. It is likely that, as the pilot attempted to take off uphill in high density altitude conditions, he exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack, and the airplane experienced an aerodynamic stall/spin at low altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.