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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

September 23, 1995 · Cessna 150L · N10637

Kona, HI

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 23, 1995
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Kona, HI
Aircraft
Cessna 150L
Tail Number
N10637
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX95LA343

ON THE STUDENT PILOT'S SECOND UNSUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT SHE WAS CLEARED BY THE TOWER FOR A STOP-AND-GO LANDING BEHIND A MILITARY C-130 TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT SHE WAS AWARE OF THE WAKE TURBULENCE HAZARD AND THAT SHE INTENDED TO FLY HER APPROACH ABOVE THE GLIDEPATH OF THE C-130. SHE REPORTED THAT THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY WHEN THE 'AIRCRAFT VEERED SWIFTLY TO [THE] RIGHT DIPPING DOWN AND NOSING OVER TO COLLIDE WITH [THE] RUNWAY'. INVESTIGATORS REPORTED THAT INITIAL IMPACT MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE RUNWAY, 362 FEET BEYOND THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 700 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD.

NTSB Probable Cause

the failure of the student pilot to properly execute a planned steep approach and long landing so as to avoid wake turbulence behind the preceding large aircraft.

Full Narrative

On September 23, 1995, at 0717 hours Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 150L, N10637, was substantially damaged when the pilot lost control of the aircraft during a landing approach and impacted on runway 17 at the Keahole Airport, Kona, Hawaii. The instructional flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions and the solo student pilot sustained minor injuries. The local area flight originated at the Keahole airport about 0615. The flight was the student's second unsupervised solo flight and she was to remain in the airport traffic pattern to practice a series of soft-field takeoffs and landings. The pilot reported that on her eighth landing she was cleared by the Keahole Tower for a stop-and-go landing behind a military C-130 transport aircraft and to extend her downwind leg to follow that aircraft. The pilot told investigators that she was aware of the wake turbulence hazard and that she intended to fly her approach above the glidepath of the C-130. She reported that the approach was normal until approximately 10 feet above the runway when the "aircraft veered swiftly to [the] right dipping down and nosing over to collide with [the] runway". Runway 17 at the Keahole Airport is 11,000 feet long and 150 feet wide. Inspectors from the FAA's Honolulu Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) reported that initial impact marks were found on the runway, slightly right (west) of centerline and 362 feet beyond the runway threshold. The marks were made by the nose landing gear, propeller, and right main landing gear. The aircraft then flew about 65 feet before again contacting the runway and sliding on its nose approximately 270 feet along a curving path to the right. It came to rest on the right (west) edge of the runway, 700 feet beyond the threshold, heading approximately 200 degrees. The FSDO inspectors also listened to tape recordings of communications at Keahole Air Traffic Control Tower. The time from when they were first able to determine that the C-130 aircraft was on the ground until the ELT operated on the accident aircraft was 2 minutes and 18 seconds. Surface winds were 4 knots or less at the time of the accident. The student pilot reported a total flying time of 30 hours, of which 14.6 hours were with the current flight instructor. The instructor told investigators that she had completed 11 lessons with the student and that procedures for avoiding wake turbulence were included in the lesson 3 syllabus. In addition, wake turbulence procedures had been demonstrated on at least six occasions while the student was landing behind large aircraft during dual instructional flights.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time07:17 HST
Nearest AirportKeahole International (0nm)
Runway17
Runway Length11000 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 150L
Tail NumberN10637
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-200A · Reciprocating · 100
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 47 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind160° @ 4 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data