LAKE NEEPAULIN, NJ, USA
N8725G
CESSNA 150F
THE PILOT MADE A TAKEOFF WITH THE AIRPLANE LOADED 86 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT. IN ADDITION, HE SAID HE SET THE FLAPS AT 10 DEGREES. ACCORDING TO THE CESSNA 150 OWNERS MANUAL, USE OF FLAPS WILL SHORTEN THE GROUND ROLL, BUT DECREASE THE CLIMB RATE. ONCE AIRBORNE, THE PILOT COULD NOT OUTCLIMB THE RISING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED OVER A LAKE WITH THE WINGS ROCKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE AIRPLANE THEN MADE A DESCENDING LEFT TURN INTO THE TREES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE FLAPS WERE SET AT 13 DEGREES AND THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN SATISFACTORILY. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL HAD EXPIRED 5 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THE OPERATOR WHO RENTED THE AIRPLANE TO THE PILOT HAD NO RECORDS OF THE PILOT'S QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, OR CHECKOUT IN THE CESSNA 150.
AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AFTER THE PILOT FAILED TO OUTCLIMB THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLAPS AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE OVER THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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