History of Flight
On August 29, 2018, about 1100 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150F airplane, N7990F, impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Benton Field Airport (O85), Redding, California. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was privately owned and operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which was originating at the time of the accident.
Multiple witnesses observed the airplane during the initial climb after takeoff from runway 33. Several reported that their attention was drawn to the airplane due to an abnormal engine sound. Witness statements consistently described the airplane in a nose-high attitude with slow airspeed before it turned left and descended to ground contact. One witness, a mechanic, stated that the engine was "misfiring" during the initial climb; the airplane stalled, and the left wing dropped "aggressively."
Pilot Information
The 71-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, issued on September 21, 2017. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on June 27, 2017, with a limitation: "must have available glasses for near vision." At the time of his medical examination, he reported 110 total hours of flight experience. He logged about 5.5 hours in the previous 6 months, 0.8 hour in the previous 90 days, and 0 hour in the previous 60 days. The pilot logged a total of 14.7 hours in the accident airplane. His most recent flight review took place on September 19, 2017.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1966 and purchased by the pilot on December 20, 2017. It was equipped with a Continental O-200A engine, serial number 63876-6-A, and a two-blade, fixed-pitch propeller. A review of airframe and engine logbooks revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on October 20, 2017, at an airframe total time of 4,814.54 hours. The engine was last overhauled on August 7, 1998, at a tachometer time of 4,304.11 hours. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 27.39 hours since the most recent annual inspection, and the engine had accumulated 537.82 hours since major overhaul.
Weather Conditions
At 1053, the automated weather observation station at Redding Municipal Airport (RDD), about 7.5 miles southeast of the accident site, reported wind from 150° at 4 knots, clear sky, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 25°C, dew point 13°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.89 inches of mercury. Using the reported weather conditions and field elevation, the calculated density altitude about the time of the accident was about 2,343 ft.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane came to rest upright on a magnetic heading about 125° on a generally level, wooded area of private property about 500 ft northwest of the runway 33 centerline and 680 ft from the departure end of the runway. The wreckage was contained in an approximately 30-square-ft area. All major components were found at the site. The first point of impact was about 20 ft above the ground on a tree about 7 ft to the left and behind the wreckage.
The fuselage displayed damage from underneath the engine nacelle extending upward and aft. The fuselage was buckled and fractured open just aft of the main landing gear. The wings displayed four concave dents with traces of tree bark, consistent with tree impact. A portion of the left wing, about 15 inches from the wing tip inboard, was separated near a large concave dent on the leading edge. The left wing and cabin ceiling separated from the fuselage and were displaced forward about 15°. The right wing separated from the fuselage, was displaced forward about 5°, and came to rest against a tree near the wing root. The main landing gear remained intact and attached to the fuselage. The nose landing gear was displaced aft.
The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft propeller flange. The spinner was crushed aft around the propeller. One blade displayed moderate aft bending with leading edge gouging and chordwise striations; the other displayed minor aft bending, some leading edge gouging, and few striations.
The fuel selector was found in the ON position. About 2 gallons of fuel were drained from the left wing tank and 6 gallons from the right wing tank. The fuel tested negative for water. The last fuel receipt discovered was dated August 15, 2018, for 17.0 gallons.
Flight control continuity was established from all flight control surfaces to the cabin controls. The flap selector was found in the down position, the flap actuator was at 3.25 inches, consistent with flaps between 10° to 20°. The flaps were extended about 20°. Elevator trim continuity was established and was found at 1.44 inches, consistent with a neutral setting.
The engine was examined at the accident site and later at Continental Motors in Mobile, Alabama. The intake manifold was fractured; the carburetor separated. The mixture and throttle control arms moved freely. The carburetor bowl floats displayed hydraulic damage. The airframe fuel strainer was damaged. No contaminations were found on the carburetor fuel finger strainer. The accelerator pump functioned normally. Blue fluid with the appearance and smell of aviation gasoline was found in the carburetor bowl and tested negative for water and debris. Spark plugs appeared mostly dark and dry, except number 4 which was darker and wet. Thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. The engine was timed correctly at 24°. Both magnetos functioned correctly. Cylinder 2 had been channel-chrome plated; others were standard nitrated steel. All components exhibited normal wear patterns except the number 2 intake and number 3 exhaust valve lifter faces showed spalling, and the corresponding guides were pitting.
Additional Information
The Cessna 150 Owner's Manual stated that normal and obstacle clearance takeoffs should be performed with flaps retracted. A flap extension setting of 10° would shorten the ground roll during takeoff by about 10% but reduces the climb to a 50-ft obstacle.
The FAA Airplane Flying Handbook notes that flap extension affects pitch behavior. Flap deflection of up to 15° primarily produces lift with minimal drag; deflection beyond 15° produces a large increase in drag and a significant nose-up pitching moment in high-wing airplanes.
Medical and Pathological Findings
An autopsy of the pilot performed by the Shasta County Sheriff-Coroner determined the cause of death as blunt trauma. Toxicology testing at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified Tamsulosin in blood and urine, Delta-9-THC in blood (cavity) and urine, Carboxy-Delta-9-THC in blood (cavity) and urine, and 11-Hydroxy-Delta-9-THC in urine. Tamsulosin is an alpha blocker used for benign prostatic hyperplasia and is not generally considered impairing. THC has mood-altering effects. The cavity blood taken from the chest was in close proximity to the liver and lung, and postmortem levels may be significantly elevated compared with antemortem levels.