Cessna 150 N4057V

Summary

On 22 August 2015 at about 20:55 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N4057V was involved in an accident near Dorado, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 August 2015 at 20:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Dorado, United States

Coordinates

18.4367, -66.2781

Aircraft

Cessna 150

Registration

N4057V

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Juan → Aguadilla

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15LA323

1 person was seriously injured.

A short circuit of unknown origin, which resulted in electrical arcing in the engine compartment and smoke in the cockpit, which necessitated a precautionary landing to a field.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot had flown the airplane earlier in the day and had not noted any anomalies during that flight or during the preflight inspection and engine run up for the accident flight. About 15 minutes after takeoff on the accident flight, the pilot smelled smoke and decided to return to the departure airport. The smoke began to enter the cockpit, and the pilot conducted a precautionary landing in an open field; however, during the landing roll, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed evidence of engine compartment electrical arcing and melting of the plastic covering of the battery grounding wire. The source of the short circuit could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.