Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

North Hedrick, Iowa 52503
Monday, September 19, 1994 12:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT SAID HE WAS PRACTICING SLOW FLIGHT WHEN HE NOTICED ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. AFTER LANDING IN A FIELD NEAR HIS GRANDPARENT'S HOME, HE SAID THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS WENT AWAY. THE PILOT SAID HE ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF FROM THE FIELD BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE SAID HE TRIED TO TAKEOFF ON A DIRT ROAD THAT WAS ABOUT 15 TO 20 FEET WIDE. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT, YAWING THE AIRPLANE INTO A DITCH ON THE ROAD'S EDGE. THE EMBANKMENTS WERE ABOUT 10 FEET HIGH, AND 30 TO 35 FEET APART ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE'S WING SPAN IS 33 FEET 4 INCHES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND THE SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH TO INITIATE A TAKEOFF. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF OVERALL EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City NORTH HEDRICK
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 52503
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1200 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1092
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 19 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1246
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9135U
NTSB Number CHI94LA343
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 15078086
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OTTUMWA FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 57-A
Aircraft Owner City OTTUMWA
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 52501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State A
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OTM
Destination City OTTUMWA
Destination State IA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --