Sussex Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Neepaulin, New Jersey 07461
Sunday, September 13, 1992 14:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/13/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1440
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LAKE NEEPAULIN
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07461
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SUSSEX
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N63
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 30
Airport Elevation 421
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
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
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 448
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 13 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47244
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8725G
NTSB Number NYC92FA185
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 150F
Aircraft Series Identifier 150F
Aircraft Serial Number 15062825
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 Jul 22 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 3144
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUSSEX AIRPORT INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 639, BOX 311
Aircraft Owner City SUSSEX
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07461
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUSSEX AIRPORT INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT 639, BOX 311
Operator City SUSSEX
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 07461
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code N63
Departure City SUSSEX
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1440
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code N63
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 3499
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --