History of Flight
On July 6, 2010, about 0650 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150J, N1053M, collided with terrain and power lines near Keller, Washington. The student pilot was killed and his sole passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the local flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The surviving passenger stated that the purpose of the flight was to locate cattle. After arriving at the airplane, the pilot performed a preflight inspection and said everything looked fine. The pilot did not check the fuel tank by climbing on the wing strut. After buckling the passenger in, the pilot used a checklist before starting the engine and taxiing to the north end of the airstrip. During taxi, the pilot commented that conditions were cool and calm and that they should have no problems. After turning around at the north end, the pilot began the takeoff roll without performing an engine run-up. The passenger reported that during the roll the pilot said he could take off but wanted to go a little further. The next thing the passenger remembered was feeling a jolt, followed by a right bank and the nose pitching down. He did not recall hitting the power lines or the ground.
A resident living about 300 feet from the departure end of runway 21 reported hearing the airplane take off with normal engine power and light winds.
Personnel Information
The 65-year-old pilot held a student pilot certificate, with a third-class medical certificate issued June 15, 2005, requiring corrective lenses for distant vision and reading glasses for near vision. His logbook showed a total flight time of 125.8 hours, all in the accident airplane, with the last entry dated July 15, 2004, for a solo cross-country flight.
Aircraft Information
The 1969 two-seat, side-by-side, fixed-gear, high-wing Cessna 150J, serial number 1507093, was powered by a Continental O-200-A engine rated at 100 horsepower. The most recent annual inspection was on September 18, 2004, at a tachometer reading of 6,822.28 hours. Post-accident, the tachometer read 7,042.9 hours, indicating 220.62 hours since the annual inspection.
Meteorological Information
The closest weather reporting facility was Omak Airport, about 45 nautical miles northwest. At 0653, the wind was from 030 degrees at 3 knots; at 0753, from 030 degrees at 5 knots. Ephrata Municipal Airport, 66 miles southwest, reported wind from 010 degrees at 10 knots at 0653 and from 060 degrees at 3 knots at 0753.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The first point of impact was a damaged tree about 85 feet tall, located about 330 feet from the departure end of runway 21 on a magnetic heading of 220 degrees. The debris path continued on a heading of 230 degrees for about 270 feet before striking power lines and impacting the ground. The airplane came to rest in a near-vertical attitude on a heading of 050 degrees, with power lines wrapped around the propeller and wings.
Examination revealed the forward section was pushed aft into the cabin. Both wings remained attached; the right wing had leading-edge crushing across its span; the left wing had leading-edge damage from power line impact. The empennage was largely intact. Both main landing gear remained attached; the nose gear was bent aft. The propeller had one blade bent aft and the other bent forward with tip bent aft.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy determined the pilot's cause of death as blunt force injuries. Toxicology tests detected acetaminophen, dihydrocodeine, hydrocodone, and nordiazepam in blood and liver. A family member reported the pilot frequented the VA hospital for chronic joint pain and a back injury from the Vietnam War, but was unaware of other issues.
Tests and Research
An examination of the airplane by Cessna revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunction. Teledyne Continental Motors examined the engine: it remained partially attached; both magnetos sparked and drives turned freely; carburetor and fuel screen were undamaged and debris-free; cylinder compression and valve continuity were confirmed. The technician concluded no abnormalities that would prevent normal operation.