Cessna 150F N102DK accident near Rockville, Indiana

Probable cause

The pilot's use of an improper soft-field takeoff procedure, which resulted in the airplane having insufficient airspeed to climb out of ground effect and its subsequent impact with trees near the departure end of the runway.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot and passenger were departing on a personal, cross-country flight from a grass runway. A witness saw the airplane lift off from the 2,081-ft-long- runway near midfield with a high pitch attitude, but he did not see the subsequent climbout or accident. The airplane impacted tall trees about 1,100 ft past the departure end of the runway.

Given the witness's statement, the pilot likely did not lower the airplane's nose to accelerate while in ground effect, as recommended by the Federal Aviation Administration for a soft-field takeoff. Instead, the pilot likely attempted to climb the airplane at too high of a pitch angle and too low of an airspeed during the soft-field takeoff. Further, the airplane was near or above its maximum gross takeoff weight. The combination of these factors led to the airplane climbing out at an insufficient airspeed and its subsequent inability to adequately climb out of ground effect and clear the trees off the departure end of the runway. In addition, a light tailwind likely existed during the climb, which the pilot may not have noticed due to trees surrounding the runway and windsock.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN16FA216 for the full record.