Accident Narrative
On September 3, 2012, at approximately 0945 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150M, registration N3700V, sustained substantial damage during landing at Toledo State Airport (5S4) in Toledo, Oregon. The airplane was operated by the pilot, a 94-year-old commercial pilot who was the sole occupant, under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from Newport, Oregon, at 0930 with an intended destination of 5S4.
The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that following a normal approach and landing on runway 31—a 1,750-foot-long by 40-foot-wide asphalt runway—the airplane veered to the right. He attempted to apply left rudder but found that the rudder pedal would not move. Subsequently, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and struck a hangar. The pilot stated that he had reduced the throttle before landing and did not advance it prior to impact with the hangar.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses located near the accident site reported observing the airplane enter a normal final approach for runway 31. One witness stated that the airplane "landed hard and fast" approximately 100 feet from the runway threshold and then began moving to the right. Another witness reported that the airplane touched down fast near the approach end of the runway, bounced 5 to 8 feet into the air, began to wobble, and touched back down. This witness added that the airplane traveled about 100 feet along the runway before violently veering to the right. The witness also noted that engine noise became louder just before the airplane exited the runway and did not decrease until the airplane came to rest in a ditch.
Examination
Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector and a representative from Cessna Aircraft Company revealed that both wings and the fuselage were structurally damaged. Inspection of the flight controls, brake system, nose wheel steering system, and engine throttle control found no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.