Accident Overview
On August 7, 2022, about 0935 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150H, registration N50439, was substantially damaged during an accident near Ellenville, New York. The commercial pilot, who was also a flight instructor, sustained minor injuries. The pilot-rated passenger, who held a private pilot certificate but no valid FAA medical certificate, was not injured. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight Details
The purpose of the flight was to transport the airplane from Joseph Y. Resnick Airport (N89), Ellenville, New York, to Shelbyville Municipal Airport (GEZ), Shelbyville, Indiana, following its purchase by the pilot-rated passenger. The commercial pilot occupied the right seat, and the pilot-rated passenger occupied the left seat.
Sequence of Events
The pilot-rated passenger performed the takeoff with 10° of flaps, seeking “extra lift to get us away from the ground.” The airplane lifted off with about 1,000 feet of the 3,839-foot runway remaining and climbed normally until reaching about 100 feet above ground level, at which point it would no longer continue to climb. With mountains ahead, the commercial pilot took control and began looking for a landing area. The stall warning horn activated, and the nose was lowered to maintain airspeed. As the airplane approached two sets of power lines, the pilot pitched up to clear the first set, then cut engine power and raised the flaps. The airplane dropped about 30 feet and crashed onto a roadway, then stopped. Both pilots exited the airplane.
Wreckage and Examination
The wreckage came to rest on a wooded embankment beside a roadway. Structural damage was sustained to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The engine remained attached to the airframe. During recovery, the wings were removed. At a salvage facility, the fuselage was secured to a forklift for an attempted engine run. Due to impact damage, the induction air, carburetor heat boxes, and left-side exhaust pipe were removed. An external fuel tank was connected to the left-wing root fuel line, and a battery charger was attached. After removing magneto grounding leads, the engine started and ran smoothly from idle to about 2,300 rpm. Bending damage to propeller blade tips prevented higher rpm testing. The engine was shut down, and while warm, the propeller was rotated by hand, achieving compression and suction on all four cylinders. Fuel flow through the system was normal, and the cockpit fuel selector handle functioned correctly, shutting off fuel to the engine when commanded.
Weight and Performance Data
During the investigation, the pilots reported that the airplane’s takeoff weight was 1,595 pounds, with a maximum allowable takeoff weight of 1,600 pounds. The calculated pressure altitude was 1,934 feet. Textron provided data indicating that under the reported conditions, the takeoff roll would be about 490 feet and the expected climb rate about 640 feet per minute. However, no climb performance data is available for the 10° flap setting.
Manufacturer Guidelines
The Cessna 150H Owner’s Manual addresses takeoffs with 10° flaps, stating: “Normal and obstacle clearance takeoffs are performed with flaps up. The use of 10° will shorten the ground run approximately 10%, but this advantage is lost in the climb to a 50-foot obstacle. Therefore the use of 10° flap is reserved for minimum ground runs or for take-off from soft or rough fields with no obstacles ahead.”