MILLEDGEVILLE, GA, USA
N330JC
Cessna 150L
The fuel tanks were full and a minimum of 22.5 pounds of cargo was on-board. The airplane was approximately 14 pounds over gross weight at the time of the accident. The pilot performed an engine run-up; no discrepancies were noted. The pilot noted that at rotation speed, the, '...aircraft seemed a little more sluggish then on our approach....' The pilot pitched for best rate of climb (70 mph), and continued in a slight climb. The stall warning horn sounded when the flight was near the end of the runway and again while flying over trees. The pilot verified throttle, mixture, and flap positions. He banked to the left to maneuver the airplane and it, '...immediately went into a full stall and rolled over the left wing....' The came to rest inverted in a ditch with water. The pilot did not report a loss of engine power in his report or to the operator of the airplane. Postaccident, the engine was started and operated to 1,200 to 1,500 rpm, impact damage precluded operation at a higher rpm. The left magneto was deemed inoperative but bench tested satisfactory. No fuel contamination of the fueling facility was noted.
On May 27, 2000, about 1029 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N330JC, registered to Juliet Charlie Corporation, operated by KAZ-AIR-Inc., collided with trees after experiencing an in-flight loss of control shortly after takeoff from the Baldwin County Airport, Milledgeville, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot sustained serious injuries. A passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that for weight and balance purposes he used "my weight of 160 lbs, my friends weight of 180 lbs, plus 3 lbs of gear we had with us. This gave us a total aircraft weight of 1600 pounds and a load moment of 57.6 lb/ins, which was on the edge of the center of gravity envelope...." The pilot departed on the first leg of the flight and landed at the Baldwin County Airport for fuel. A total of 22.3 gallons of fuel were added to the fuel tanks; the total usable fuel capacity is 22.5 gallons. The pilot taxied to runway 28, and performed an engine run-up with no discrepancies reported. The pilot began the takeoff roll and at rotation speed (55 mph), "The aircraft seemed a little more sluggish then on our approach, but I attributed this to the additional fuel we had just taken on board." He pitched for best rate of climb of 70 mph and, "the aircraft continued a slight climb while we flew down the runway." The pilot further stated that when near the end of the runway, the stall warning sounded. He verified full throttle, mixture full rich, and the flaps were retracted. He lowered the nose of the airplane and the stall warning sound stopped. The flight was then over trees and the stall warning sounded again. He lowered the nose slightly but the stall warning continued. The airplane began to buffet slightly and after observing a lake to the left of their position, he banked to the left. The aircraft "...immediately went into a full stall and rolled over the left wing. We entered the trees in a vertical position with the left wing low." The airplane impacted slightly inverted into a small ditch that contained water. The pilot and passenger were taken to a hospital for treatment of their injuries. The pilot did not report a loss of engine power or mechanical malfunction failure on the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report form he completed and signed. The crash site was located at 33 degrees 09.102 minutes North latitude and 083 degrees 14.914 minutes West longitude. That location when plotted was 247 degrees and .42 nautical mile from the approach end of runway 28. The airplane was recovered and examination of the carburetor revealed it was full of water. The engine which was still installed on the airframe, was started in the presence of an FAA inspector. The engine was operated to approximately 1,200 to 1,500 rpm; impact damage to the crankshaft flange precluded operation of the engine at a higher rpm. The magnetos were properly timed to the engine and the left magneto was deemed to be inoperative during the engine run. The left magneto was retained for further examination. The left magneto was placed on a test bench and with a test harness installed, the unit was operated from approximately 300 to 2,522 rpm, spark was noted at all ignition leads. The magneto was disassembled and slight internal corrosion was noted. The point gap, and primary and secondary coil resistance values checked within limits. The e-gap was slightly late, and the condenser checked .04 microfarards less than specification. Weighing of the cargo performed by personnel from the Baldwin County Sheriff Department indicated the total weight was 22.5 pounds. The weight of the cargo did not include items (pilot bag and camera) that were removed by the pilot's wife. A copy of the report and supplemental report from the Baldwin County Sheriff Department is an attachment to this report. Weight and balance calculations were performed using the empty weight of the airplane (1,116.2 pounds), the reported weights of the pilot and passenger (160 and 180 pounds, respectively), the weight of the usable fuel (135 pounds), and the weight of the cargo weighed by sheriff department personnel (22.5 pounds). The airplane was calculated to be approximately 14 pounds over gross weight at the time of the accident. The calculations do not include the weight of the items removed by the pilot's wife. The gross weight of the airplane is 1,600 pounds. Copies of the weight and balance form and type certificate date sheet are attachments to this report. The operator stated that contacted the pilot at the hospital and asked him if he had an engine problem. The pilot reported to him, no, "the engine was making power, the aircraft just wouldn't fly above the ground effect and he couldn't put the nose down because of the trees." The pilot was billed for operating the airplane 4.0 hours. A copy of the statement from the operator is an attachment to this report. Postaccident, a fuel sample was taken from the fuel nozzle under pressure and tested; no discrepancies were noted. According to the Baldwin County Airport Manager, 242.2 gallons of fuel were pumped the day of the accident; no fuel contamination was noted. A copy of the statement from the airport manager and fuel records is an attachment to this report. The retained left magneto was released to Mr. David Huie, claims representative for Phoenix Aviation Managers, Inc., on January 22, 2001.
The operation of the airplane by the pilot-in-command in an over gross weight condition, the failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed (Vs) after takeoff, and the intentional stalling of the airplane by the pilot-in-command for his attempting to bank while flying close to stall airspeed.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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