Overview
On June 27, 2024, a Cessna A150M aircraft, registration CX-CBJ, operated by a private Uruguayan owner, experienced a serious incident while conducting a touch-and-go landing at Capitán de Corbeta Carlos A. Curbelo International Airport (SULS) in Maldonado, Uruguay. The aircraft was being flown by a student pilot on a solo training flight.
Flight History
The student pilot began the flight from Carrasco International Airport (SUMU) with the intention of flying along the coastline to SULS, performing a touch-and-go, then returning to SUMU. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules in daytime conditions. After being controlled by the SULS tower, the pilot lined up for runway 01. The pilot configured the aircraft with 20° of flaps and touched down within the first third of the runway, with all three wheels on the ground before taxiway B. After rolling for more than 200 meters, the pilot lost control of the aircraft, which veered left off the runway surface. The aircraft traveled over 50 meters on the grass strip, struck a taxiway B sign with the right wing strut, and came to a stop in a ditch before taxiway B. The pilot exited the aircraft unaided and was uninjured. No fire or smoke occurred.
Personnel Information
The pilot was a male Uruguayan student, born July 1, 1979, holding a student pilot license. He had accumulated 47.8 total flight hours, all on the Cessna 150 type, with 18.05 hours in the previous 90 days and 2.55 hours in the prior week. His medical certificate (Class 2) was valid until November 30, 2025. His flight logbook was incomplete and outdated. The pilot stated he was uncertain of the aircraft's crosswind limitation established by the manufacturer.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna A150M (serial number A1500615) is a two-seat, high-wing, single-engine monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear. It was built in 1976 and classified in the utility/acrobatic category. The aircraft was powered by a Teledyne Continental O-200-A engine (100 hp) and equipped with a McCauley fixed-pitch metal propeller. The airworthiness certificate was valid until August 16, 2025. The aircraft logbook was 20 days out of date due to administrative processing. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH), the maximum demonstrated crosswind component for landing was 13 knots.
Meteorological Conditions
At the time of the incident, the wind at SULS was reported in METAR as 330° at 16 knots. The crosswind component for runway 01 (heading approximately 010°) was calculated as 10.3 knots, which was within the aircraft's operational limit of 13 knots.
Aerodrome Information
SULS has an asphalt runway 01/19. The incident occurred on runway 01. The aircraft excursion took place on the left side of the runway, impacting a taxiway B sign located on the grass strip. The sign was designed to be repositionable after impact.
Damage and Other Effects
The aircraft sustained damage to the lower aft fuselage from contact with the ground and to the right wing strut from striking the taxiway sign. A minor fuel spill occurred from the left wing vent due to the aircraft's final position in the ditch. The sign was knocked down and later repositioned. No other property damage was reported.
Post-Incident Actions
The aircraft was not equipped with flight recorders, as they were not required for the type of operation. The pilot had valid psychophysical certification and no pre-existing risk factors were identified. The investigation did not note any deficiencies in navigation aids, communications, or air traffic services.