N4763X

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 20, 2020, about 1220 central standard time, a Cessna 150G airplane, N4763X, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Jacksonville, Texas. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from JSO at 1200.

Radar information revealed that the pilot departed Cherokee County Airport (JSO), Jacksonville, Texas, about 1200 and proceeded approximately north-northeast, reaching a peak altitude of about 1,600 ft mean sea level (msl). The airplane then turned southeast and entered a gradual descent as it flew roughly parallel to a state highway. The last radar information about 1220 showed the airplane at 899 ft msl at a groundspeed of 92 knots.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot’s most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on January 12, 2010. On the application for that certificate, the pilot reported 2,459 total hours of flight experience.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of the accident site indicated that the airplane impacted a set of guy wires secured to the top of a 1,586-ft-tall television tower, located about 1,100 ft east of the wreckage. About 5 ft of the outboard section of the airplane's left wing was located about 468 ft south of the tower. Additionally, impact marks and stripped paint found on the separated wing piece were consistent with impact with a wire. With the exception of the outboard section of the left wing and the portion of the right fuel tank, the entire wreckage was located within about a 50-ft radius of the main wreckage site.

The airplane impacted terrain in a nose-down, near vertical attitude and was destroyed by impact. Flight control continuity was established from the empennage to fuselage station (FS) 57 and from the aileron and flap bellcranks to the wing root. The cabin area was destroyed. The propeller remained attached to the engine. One blade was bent aft at the root: the other exhibited S-bending. Both blades displayed leading edge polishing and chordwise scratching. The engine was embedded in the ground and displayed significant impact damage. The crankshaft could not be rotated, but cylinder Nos. 2 and 4 were examined with a lighted borescope and displayed no anomalies. The location of the pistons of cylinder Nos. 1 and 3 precluded borescope examination; however, the rocker covers were removed, and no anomalies were noted. The right magneto was impact damaged; the left magneto was rotated by hand and produced spark at each of its terminal leads.