Moran, WY, USA
N23108
Cessna 150H
The pilot reported he was performing a touch-and-go to a hayfield at his brother's ranch. The pilot said, "After rolling a short distance, I added full power and at the point of takeoff, hit a badger hole which jerked the aircraft." The pilot said he corrected to the left but was close to a low-lying area filled with willow bushes. The pilot said he lost airspeed and had the nose of the airplane up. He said he turned right to keep out of the higher willows. The pilot said the airplane mushed through the willows and struck the opposite bank of the low-lying area, causing substantial damage to both wings and separating the empennage from the aft fuselage. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
On September 1, 2003, at 1030 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N23108, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during landing on a hayfield, 3-1/2 miles east of Moran, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The cross-country flight originated at Jackson, Wyoming, and was en route to Moran, Wyoming. The pilot reported he was performing a touch-and-go to a hayfield at his brother's ranch. The pilot said, "After rolling a short distance, I added full power and at the point of takeoff, hit a badger hole which jerked the aircraft." The pilot said he corrected to the left but was close to a low-lying area filled with willow bushes. The pilot said he lost airspeed and had the nose of the airplane up. He said he turned right to keep out of the higher willows. The pilot said the airplane mushed through the willows and struck the opposite bank of the low-lying area. An examination of the airplane showed the left wing tip leading edge broken aft. The right wing was bent aft and up. The aft fuselage was broken forward of the empennage. The propeller showed torsional bending and chordwise scratches. Flight control continuity was confirmed. An examination of the engine, engine controls, and other airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
the pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area which resulted in an encounter with the gopher hole during the touch-and-go. Factors contributing to the accident were the gopher hole, the abrupt pull up, the low airspeed, the inadvertent stall mush, the high vegetation, and the embankment.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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