Accident Cessna 150M N45069,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 231936
 
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Date:Friday 3 January 2020
Time:20:00
Type:Silhouette image of generic C150 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 150M
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N45069
MSN: 15076722
Year of manufacture:1975
Total airframe hrs:6295 hours
Engine model:Continental O-220-A
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:West of Twentynine Palms Airport (TNP/KTNP ), Twentynine Palms, CA -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Maricopa, AZ (A39)
Destination airport:Twentynine Palms Airport, CA (TNP/KTNP)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot reported that, upon arrival at the airport after dark, he attempted to activate the pilot-controlled lights by keying the mike seven times. Shortly later, he repeated the process twice, but the runway lights did not turn on. He circled the area to try to locate the airport but was unsuccessful. The airplane was now low on fuel, so the pilot began looking for a place to make a precautionary landing. He landed the airplane on a dirt road, and during the landing rollout, the nose landing gear separated, and the left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The Federal Aviation Administration Airport Facility Directory noted that medium-intensity runway lights were available at the airport. To activate the pilot-controlled lighting, the pilot must key the mike five times in 5 seconds. The pilot reported that he did not check what the proper procedures were for operating the pilot-controlled lighting for the runway. Airport personnel checked the pilot-controlled lighting system the day after the accident and reported that there were no malfunctions with the system.

Probable Cause: The pilot's poor preflight planning, during which he failed to verify the proper procedure to activate the runway lights; his inability to locate the airport without lighting; and the airplane’s subsequent low-fuel state as he circled looking for the airport, which necessitated a precautionary off-airport landing, during which the nose landing gear separated.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: WPR20CA060
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 7 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB

https://flightaware.com/photos/view/4532076-dc5b7712f15ef10e0364a2df70c67dcde159faca/aircrafttype/C150

FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=45069

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
05-Jan-2020 01:14 Geno Added
23-Aug-2020 16:43 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, ]
23-Aug-2020 16:59 harro Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, ]

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