Accident
On January 25, 2015, about 1430 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150L (N10616) was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while on approach to Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport (FHB), Fernandina Beach, Florida. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida, at an unknown time, destined for FHB. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot's postaccident interview, he flew along the west boundary of Jacksonville Class B airspace until west of his home airport, then turned east and flew along the north boundary directly to his home base. Shortly after the turn, he experienced pain in his right shoulder, which he had felt before during long car rides. After adjusting his seat, the pain became tolerable. About 20 miles from home, an intense pain began in his left shoulder, which he had not experienced previously. He contacted air traffic control, declared an emergency, and requested an ambulance. He attempted to line up for runway 9 but was unable to do so and could not recall further details.
Aircraft and Damage
The airplane was a Cessna 150L, registration N10616, powered by a Continental O-200-A engine. The most recent annual inspection was recorded on January 22, 2014, at 8,891.2 total hours time in service.
According to an FAA inspector, the airplane impacted a berm on the east edge of a retention pond, about half a mile from the approach end of runway 13. The aircraft left a ground scar about 200 feet long. The nose landing gear separated, and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted on top of the berm. Photographs showed the fuselage buckled, the outboard approximate 4 feet of the left wing impact damaged, the top of the rudder damaged, and forward of the firewall bent. Propeller blades exhibited tip curling beginning about mid-span. No preimpact malfunctions or abnormalities were noted that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft recovery personnel reported about 15 gallons of fuel removed from unbreached fuel tanks.
Pilot Information
The 90-year-old commercial pilot held a medical certificate issued May 15, 2014, with corrective lenses limitation and marked "not valid for any class after May 31, 2015." He had received a special issuance medical certificate due to diabetes since 2003. At the medical examination, he reported 25,265.5 total flight hours.
Hospital records indicated the pilot extricated himself from the airplane after the accident and was hospitalized for about three weeks due to injuries. Postaccident hospital evaluation found no definitive reason for the reported intense pain.