On August 12, 2006, a Cessna 150 (registration N17015) was involved in an aviation accident near Jamestown, ND. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning resulted in the pilot not attaining the proper takeoff climb and failure to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors included the transmission wires, the row of trees, and the field of corn. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An airplane sustained substantial damage after hitting a cornfield during takeoff from a grass strip. The pilot flew under power lines but could not clear a tree line.
Accident Overview
An airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted a cornfield during takeoff from a grass airstrip. The pilot reported that after lifting off, he was unable to clear power lines and chose to fly under them. He then lowered the airplane’s nose to gain airspeed.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, after passing under the wires, he attempted to clear a tree line. However, the airplane settled into a cornfield, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot stated that the airplane did not experience any mechanical malfunction or failure during the event.