LINDEN, NJ, USA
N6964S
Cessna 150H
After takeoff, at about 200 feet, the engine lost power. Witnesses observed the airplane turn to the left about 180 degrees and nose into the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel selector was in the OFF position, and no fuel was found in the fuel lines going from the fuel selector to the engine. Fuel was found in the wing fuel tanks.
On February 26, 1996, about 1010 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150H, N6964S, registered to Linden Air Services Inc., Linden, New Jersey, collided with the ground during a forced landing near, Linden, New Jersey, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged, the commercial pilot and one passenger were seriously injured. The local, aerial observation flight had departed about 1000. The flight had taken off from runway 32, and had reached an altitude of about 200 feet, when the engine lost power. The pilot stated: ...the aircraft was producing full power on takeoff roll. [The] aircraft was rotated at 55 knots...climbout was normal...[at] approximately 200 feet...I began to see the airspeed decrease. The aircraft began to sink so I rechecked full power, carburetor heat off, mixture rich...the aircraft continued to sink and lose airspeed...[I] decided it would be safer to turn to the runway...I figured I turned 90 degrees...the airplane must have stalled and then crashed. Witnesses observed the airplane turn to the left about 180 degrees and nose into the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel selector was in the "off" position, and no fuel was found in the fuel lines going from the fuel selector to the engine. Fuel was found in the wing fuel tanks.
the pilot's inadequate preflight and failure to follow the checklist to ensure that the fuel selector valve was in the ON position, which resulted in fuel starvation and subsequent loss of engine power. In addition, the pilot failed to maintain airspeed during the forced landing which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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