Cessna 150 N8120S

Summary

On 24 August 2016 at about 18:00 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N8120S was involved in an accident near Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 August 2016 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Venango Rgnl (FKL)

Coordinates

41.3789, -79.8572

Aircraft

Cessna 150

Registration

N8120S

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Towanda → Franklin

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA453

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control resulting in a hard landing and the flight instructor's delayed action to assist the student pilot during the aborted landing, which resulted in a runway excursion, a right main and nose gear collapse, and fuselage damage.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that during a gusty crosswind landing the airplane touched down and drifted off the runway to the right. He further reported that he added power to abort the landing, but "with the carburetor heat still on, and the flaps at 30 degrees and the temperature of nearly 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside, we did not regain control." The airplane pitched up and the left wing hit the ground. Subsequently, the airplane was "vaulted" over to the right side of the runway and impacted terrain. which resulted in a collapsed right main and nose gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor reported that the student pilot flared a little high and he thought the landing would be "just a little hard" and he allowed the student to continue. The flight instructor further reported that during the aborted landing, he attempted to help the student pilot maintain control of the airplane, but "it was too late". The automated weather observing system at the airport about 5 minutes before the accident recorded the wind at 180 degrees true at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The student pilot reported that the landing was on runway 30. The same automated weather observing system about 15 minutes after the accident recorded the wind at 210 degrees true at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.