History of Flight
On September 20, 2015, at about 1251 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150H, registration N22721, collided with trees and terrain near Morrisville, New York. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal local flight that departed Hamilton Municipal Airport (VGC) about 1217.
The airplane owner indicated the pilot rented the airplane for a pleasure flight. About 20 minutes after departure, she announced over the VGC common traffic advisory frequency that she was over Colgate University, which was the last communication. No distress call was made.
Air route surveillance radar data revealed an uncorrelated VFR target with a 1200 transponder code at 1217:53 at 1,300 ft msl, consistent with the accident airplane's departure. The flight proceeded north and east of VGC, performing two 270-degree turns near Colgate University. It then flew north-northwest between 2,300 and 2,400 ft msl until 1245, turned left to a westerly direction until 1249, then turned right to a northwesterly direction until 1250. A 180-degree left turn to a south-southeasterly direction followed, with altitude changes. The last radar target was at 1251:17 at 2,000 ft msl. The accident site was about 141 degrees and 1,600 ft from that point.
Witnesses along the final flight path reported hearing an engine malfunction described as "spitting and sputtering." Several witnesses said the engine lost power while climbing, restarted during descent, then lost power again while climbing (consistent with altitude increase in the last two radar returns) and did not restart. The airplane was observed to pitch nose-down and spiral toward the ground. One witness on a tractor did not see smoke trailing the airplane.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 18, held a private pilot certificate issued August 17, 2015, and a third-class medical certificate. Her logbook showed 130.6 total hours, with 13.9 hours as pilot-in-command (PIC), of which 1.1 hours were in the accident airplane. In the last 90 and 30 days, she logged 14.1 and 3.4 hours, respectively.
The airplane owner flew with the pilot on two checkout flights on August 29 and 30, 2015, totaling 1.8 hours, which included departure stalls, approach stalls, a power-off stall from a left skidding turn, and simulated engine failures. The owner said the pilot performed all maneuvers "very well."
The passenger held no pilot certificate.
Aircraft Information
The 1968 Cessna 150H was powered by a 100-horsepower Continental O-200-A engine with a McCauley fixed-pitch propeller. The engine was last overhauled on June 26, 1980, with an unknown time before overhaul. After overhaul, the engine had accrued about 2,059 hours. The last annual inspection was completed on April 8, 2015, at 4,821.4 airframe hours; the airplane had been operated about 55 hours since.
On September 16 and 17, 2015, another private pilot flew the airplane for 0.9 hour with no abnormal issues reported; the stall warning horn activated during one landing.
Meteorological Information
A weather observation at Griffiss International Airport (RME) at 1253 reported visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 3,800 ft, temperature 17°C, dew point 7°C, altimeter 30.16 inHg. The accident site was 22 nautical miles south-southwest of RME. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, conditions were favorable for "serious icing at glide power."
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane crashed at the edge of a tree line adjacent to a field. The empennage came to rest at a 60-degree angle, lying over both wings. Tree limb damage was found on an 80-foot-tall tree about 30 ft above ground, with a heading from damaged limbs to main wreckage of approximately 194 degrees. No pre- or post-crash fire was noted.
Cockpit examination revealed the pilot's seat attached with a safety stop; the pilot's lapbelt and shoulder harness were attached but webbing was cut. The co-pilot's harness was not buckled. The throttle was extended 1.75 inches, mixture control fractured, carburetor heat control missing and extended 0.50 inch. The tachometer was damaged; a needle slap mark was seen on the oil pressure gauge at the lower red line. The ignition switch was in the both position and functioned properly when tested. The primer was locked.
Both wings had extensive impact damage. Residual blue fuel (100LL) was found in the left tank; no fuel in the right tank. The flaps were in the retracted position. The stall warning horn did not operate but operated when suction was applied to a fractured housing.
Flight control continuity was established for aileron, elevator, and rudder. The elevator push/pull rod exhibited "S" bending and was fractured. Control yoke chains were separated and fractured.
Fuel system examination: left fuel supply line broken at tank outlet; right fuel tank outlet screen clean; fuel strainer contained no fuel but screen was clean; fuel shutoff valve was in the full open position with fractured control arm.
Empennage: vertical stabilizer and right horizontal stabilizer attached; left horizontal stabilizer and elevator separated. Elevator trim tab actuator extended 1-11/16 inches, equating to tab trailing edge 4 degrees up.
Engine: cylinders and sump attached; sump breached and crushed. Carburetor and airbox impact separated; throttle partially open, mixture near full rich. Crankshaft, camshaft, and valve train continuity confirmed for cylinders 1, 2, and 4; cylinder 3 intake pushrod dented. Left magneto partially attached; right magneto separated. Both magnetos impact-damaged; operational testing not possible. No preimpact failure found in right coil.
Propeller: one blade bent aft 10 degrees near tip, twisted toward low pitch; second blade bent aft 45 degrees starting 13 inches from hub. Chordwise scratches and nicks on leading edges.
Additional Information
The airplane was last fueled on September 19, 2015, with 100LL to the top of both tanks. Fuel samples from the airport after the accident showed no anomalies, and no fuel-related issues were reported from other aircraft using the same source.
Weight and balance calculations, using estimated pilot and passenger weights of 140 pounds each, indicated the airplane was within weight limitations at takeoff.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies of the pilot and passenger listed cause of death as blunt impact injuries. Toxicology tests for the pilot were negative for volatiles, carbon monoxide, and tested drugs. For the passenger, tests were negative for volatiles and carbon monoxide; an unquantified amount of Ibuprofen was detected in urine.
Tests and Research
Postaccident examination of the carburetor showed extensive impact damage and leakage from the throttle body and bowl assemblies, precluding additional testing. Pontoons were crushed; the interior was clean. No abnormalities in the float were found.
Examination of the magnetos revealed impact damage precluding operational testing; primary and secondary resistance readings were within specification. No carbon tracing in the left magneto's distributor block. The right distributor block was not located. Additional testing of the right coil showed no preimpact failure that would cause total loss of engine power.
Two cellular phones (iPhone 5 and iPhone 6) were retained but no data could be recovered due to extensive impact damage.