Cessna 150L N150RZ

Summary

On 16 April 2024 at about 15:45 local time, a Cessna 150L registered N150RZ was involved in an accident near Sussex, New Jersey, United States. One person was on board and one 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

16 April 2024 at 15:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Sussex, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Sussex Airport (FWN)

Coordinates

41.2002, -74.6230

Aircraft

Cessna 150L

Registration

N150RZ

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Poughkeepsie → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA182

1 person had minor injuries.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around attempt in a gusting left crosswind, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was performing a solo, cross-country flight. As he approached his destination airport, he checked the weather and reported that there were “no winds.” He set up for an approach to runway 3 since another airplane in the traffic pattern had completed an approach to the same runway. He flew the final approach at 70 mph. As he crossed the runway threshold, the airplane was about 5 feet to the right of centerline. He attempted to correct with left rudder; however, the airplane continued to drift to the right. He was no longer over the runway surface, so he elected to perform a go-around. He added full throttle and pushed on the yoke. The stall warning horn immediately activated, the airplane lost all lift, rotated to the left, and collided with the ground. The left wing hit the ground first, followed by the nose. The pilot egressed the airplane with minor injuries. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration reported substantial damage to both wings and the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Airport surveillance video captured the event and was consistent with the pilot’s account. Although the pilot reported calm wind, recorded weather at the airport before and immediately after the accident indicated a gusting left crosswind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.