Accident Overview
On March 16, 2019, at approximately 1530 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 150H airplane, registration N7095S, impacted trees while performing an emergency landing after takeoff at Talkeetna Airport (TKA), Talkeetna, Alaska. The aircraft was operated as a visual flight rules instructional flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Occupants and Injuries
The certified flight instructor and one student were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the empennage, and the fuselage.
Flight Instructor Account
According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was to provide an introductory flight lesson to a prospective student. She occupied the right seat, and the student was in the left seat. Prior to departure, she checked the flight controls and found them "free and correct."
During the first takeoff run, condensation formed on the windscreen, prompting her to abort the takeoff. She taxied back to the end of Runway 1 for a second attempt, using the full 3,500 feet of available runway. On the second takeoff, she applied power with the control yoke full aft for a "soft field" takeoff. The airplane seemed to become airborne earlier than normal. During the initial climb, the nose pitched up slightly. She applied some nose-down trim and pushed the yoke forward slightly, and the airplane continued to climb. As airspeed increased, the pitch-up attitude increased. She then applied full nose-down trim and full forward yoke and asked for help from her student.
Unable to correct the nose-high attitude, she observed the tree line ahead, reduced engine power to idle, and selected an area of tree-covered terrain as an emergency landing site. The airplane settled into the trees and came to rest near a road. The occupants egressed without further incident.
Cargo and Postaccident Examination
The flight instructor reported that during the accident flight, about 20 lbs. of equipment (including an engine cover, sleeping bag, stove, and winter gear) were in the back seat/storage area.
A postaccident examination by the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor also reported no mechanical issues with the engine.