LAX97LA214

Factual narrative

On June 16, 1997, at 1630 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150, N22406, collided with terrain following a loss of control during a go-around attempt at the Jean, Nevada, airport. The aircraft was destroyed. The private pilot and pilot rated passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight that originated from the North Las Vegas, Nevada, airport at 1615. The pilot reported that she was practicing visual flight rules (VFR) approaches ending in go-arounds on [runway] 20R without touching down. The pilot stated that after crossing over the approach end of the runway on the fourth VFR approach, she added full power, raised the flaps, and manually checked that carburetor heat was off. She stated that the airplane would not climb. The aircraft started to settle, so she lowered the nose and that was the last thing she remembered. A California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer, who is also a pilot, reported that he observed the accident aircraft make a low approach from the north to runway 20R. The aircraft made two more low approaches and on the fourth approach made a touchdown approximately 2/3 down the runway. The CHP officer stated that the pilot added power and lifted off with what appeared to be 30 degrees flaps down. The plane gained approximately 150 feet, made a slight right turn, and then banked left as if the aircraft was attempting to return for a landing. As the plane continued the left turn, the bank increased and the plane lost altitude and struck the ground. A representative from the Cessna Aircraft Company traveled to the accident site and examined the aircraft under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supervision. He observed that the flaps were in the full down 40-degree position according to the extension jackscrew measurement. The Owner's Manual for the Cessna 150 states: ". . . in a balked landing (go-around) climb, the wing flap setting should be reduced to 20 degrees immediately after full power is applied. Upon reaching a safe airspeed, the flaps should be slowly retracted to the full up position." Using the airport's field elevation of 2,833, the density altitude was calculated at 5,852 feet using the altimeter setting of 29.84 inHg and temperature of 93 degrees Fahrenheit. A fuel receipt was obtained from the North Las Vegas airport showing the aircraft was refueled on the day of the accident. An FAA inspector from the Las Vegas, Nevada, Flight Standards District Office, stated that no preexisting anomalies were found with the aircraft during the examination. The pilot was practicing go-arounds from normal approaches. The pilot said that on the fourth go-around she added full power, raised the flaps, and checked that the carburetor heat was off. The aircraft did not gain any altitude and started to settle, so she lowered the nose and that is the last she remembered. A witness to the accident observed that on the final approach the aircraft touched down approximately 2/3 down the runway. The pilot added power and the aircraft lifted off with what appeared to be 30 degrees flaps down. The pilot made a slight right turn and then banked to the left as if attempting to return for landing. The aircraft continued the left turn, with the bank increasing. At this point the witness reported that the aircraft lost altitude and struck the ground. The flap extension jackscrew was found in the full down 40-degree position. The POH for the aircraft states that flaps should be retracted to 20 degrees initially during a go-around. The aircraft was examined on-scene with no preexisting anomalies noted. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12