Casualties unknown

2005-10-02: Cessna 150D (N4175U) — Greenwater, WA

Greenwater, WA, US

On October 2, 2005, a Cessna 150D (registration N4175U) was involved in an aviation accident near Greenwater, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadvertently flying into IMC weather conditions, his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed for flight, and his subsequent inadvertent stall/mush into trees. Contributing factors were the fog and the trees. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported inadvertently entering a fog bank after departure, then stalling during a climbing turn to return to clear air. The aircraft impacted trees and came to rest inverted, sustaining structural damage.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that shortly after departing from runway 33, the aircraft inadvertently entered a fog bank. In response, the pilot attempted a climbing right turn to return to the clear air over the departure runway. During this maneuver, the pilot stated that the airspeed dropped, leading to an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft subsequently struck trees and descended vertically onto a mountainside. Upon impact, the airplane came to rest inverted. Both wings and the fuselage were bent and wrinkled as a result of the collision and subsequent landing.

Sequence of Events

The pilot's account indicates that the encounter with fog occurred soon after takeoff. The decision to execute a climbing right turn was aimed at regaining visual conditions above the runway. However, the loss of airspeed precipitated a stall, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent. The aircraft's trajectory carried it through tree branches before the vertical descent to the mountain slope. The inverted final position suggests a hard impact, as evidenced by the structural deformation noted on the airframe.

Damage Assessment

The accident caused significant structural damage: both wings exhibited bending and wrinkling, and the fuselage also sustained similar deformation. No other details regarding the extent of damage or conditions of the aircraft's occupants were provided in the source.

Contributing Factors

The pilot's narrative describes the inadvertent entry into fog as the initiating event, followed by the stall during the climbing turn. The source does not explicitly state any causal factors beyond the pilot's own description of the events. No analysis of weather conditions, pilot experience, or mechanical issues is included in the available information.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20051024X01714. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.