Accident
On August 15, 2011, at 1038 central daylight time, a Cessna 150H, registration N6953S, impacted terrain during takeoff from Sabetha Municipal Airport (K83) in Sabetha, Kansas. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.
Aircraft and Pilot
The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot. The pilot, aged 84, reported that he had undergone heart valve replacement surgery in early May 2011. He indicated that he decided to fly the airplane to his farm, which had a 2,500-foot grass runway and a hangar, to avoid paying unnecessary hangar rent. After aborting his landing attempt at the farm due to lack of recent grass runway experience, he returned to Sabetha.
According to the pilot's accident report, there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. He logged 70 total flight hours, of which 45 were as pilot-in-command, but had no flight time in the preceding 90 days. The pilot did not indicate on his report that an accident had occurred.
Witness Account
A witness observed the airplane as it approached the airport. The witness reported that the airplane would stall and the nose would drop, causing a loss of altitude. Then the nose would rise and the airplane would climb, followed by another stall. These oscillations occurred approximately four times, with the airplane continuously losing altitude. The witness stated that the airplane stalled from an altitude of about 35 to 40 feet, impacted the ground, and nosed over.
Investigation
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector noted that the pilot did not hold a valid pilot certificate. The pilot had received special medical authorizations in October 2006 and December 2007, but was denied medical certification in July 2008. The denial was based, among other things, on bilateral cataracts. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.