NTSB NYC89LA161 — 1989-07-12 · DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania, United States

N10659 has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (QUICKSILVER QUICKSILVER MXL II, built 1985), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N10659 Cessna 150L Serious

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PREPARATION BY THE PILOT BY TAKING OFF WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADEQUATE RATE OF CLIMB TO CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF AND HIS FAILURE IN MAINTAINING AIRSPEED, WHICH REDUCED HIS ABILITY TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT. THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.

Factual narrative

THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF, THE ACFT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 TO 75 FT, WHEN HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED WAS SLOWLY DROPPING. HE DID NOT BELIEVE THE ACFT WOULD CLEAR TREES BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY, SO HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, NOSEWHEEL FIRST, BETWEEN THE END OF THE RWY & THE TREES, THEN IT NOSED OVER. RPRTDLY, THE FLAPS WERE IN A FULL DOWN POSITION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_NYC89LA161.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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