Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB WPR20FA067
Cessna 150 — Jacksonville, TX
| Date | January 20, 2020 |
| Location | Jacksonville, TX |
| Aircraft | Cessna 150 |
| Purpose of flight | Aerial Observation |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 76 |
| Pilot total time | 2,459 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 9,999 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Wire-Effect on operation
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot
What happened
Radar information showed that, after departing in day visual meteorological conditions, the pilot climbed the airplane to a maximum altitude of about 1,600 ft mean sea level (msl) before entering a gradual descent. The last radar return showed the airplane at a speed of 92 knots and altitude about 900 ft msl. The wreckage was found in the vicinity of a 1,586-ft-tall television tower, and its distribution was consistent with the left wing contacting one of the tower’s guy wires, resulting in a separation of the outboard section of the left wing. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain in a nose-down, near vertical attitude and was destroyed by impact.
Examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane or engine. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from tower guy wires while flying at low altitude.