Cessna 150H N6616S accident near Kent, Washington

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering in the traffic pattern, which resulted in a collision with trees.

NTSB analysis

The pilot stated that he was on a personal cross-country flight to visit friends and that he had intended to land at a private uncontrolled airstrip; however, he did not recall the events leading up to the accident. A witness in the area reported hearing an unusual sound that drew his attention to the airplane. He observed the airplane flying about 20 ft above the ground in a 90-degree, right-wing-low attitude when it collided with trees. The airplane came to rest inverted about midfield of the airstrip on a street adjacent to the airstrip in a residential neighborhood. A postaccident airframe and engine examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that, while the pilot was maneuvering the airplane on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for the destination airstrip, he failed to maintain control and subsequently collided with trees.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR12LA160 for the full record.