NTSB Identification: ERA12FA151
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 22, 2012 in Quincy, FL
Aircraft: CESSNA 150G, registration: N73JK
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On January 22, 2012, about 2015 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150G, N73JK, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain shortly after taking off from Quincy Municipal Airport (2J9), Quincy, Florida. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight to Craig Field (CRG), Jacksonville, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to a witness who was also a pilot, he heard the accident airplane land after sunset, about 1830, and it subsequently taxied to the fuel pump for refueling. The witness, who was mostly working in his hangar while the airplane was on the ground, did not speak with the accident pilot. However, shortly before the airplane departed, the witness noted that fog was beginning to roll onto the airport, and noted that his in-hangar weather station indicated a temperature of 19 degrees C and a dew point of 18 degrees C. The witness later heard the airplane start up and taxi for a takeoff from runway 14. During the taxi and takeoff, the witness heard the engine operate "normally." It was only later, after the witness heard sirens, that he realized that the airplane had crashed.

The airplane came to rest upside down, about 0.8 statute miles northeast of the airport, in the vicinity of 30 degrees, 36.24 minutes north latitude, 084 degrees 32.81 minutes west longitude. The airplane was located at the edge of a clearing, at the end of an approximately 250-foot, 20-degree descending wreckage path through trees, that headed about 310 degrees magnetic. Initial tree cuts were consistent with an approximately 45-degree, right-wing-down attitude.

No preexisting mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane. All flight control surfaces were located at the accident scene. The right wing was separated from the fuselage about midway along the wreckage path. Right wing control continuity was confirmed from the aileron, to where the aileron control cables exhibited separation signatures consistent with overload. Flight control continuity within the main wreckage was confirmed from the cockpit to the overloaded right aileron control cables, as well as all remaining flight control surfaces.

The propeller, which was found separated from the engine crankshaft flange, exhibited s-bending on one blade, while the other blade was bent 90 degrees aft, about midspan, and was further wrinkled near the tip. Numerous tree branches along the wreckage path exhibited approximately 45-degree cuts.

The engine was impact-damaged, with the carburetor and air box separated, and could not be rotated. Blue-colored fuel, that was clear and absent of debris, was found in the fuel lines. The gascolater was clean with a small amount of debris on the fuel screen. Both magnetos were sparked on all terminals, spark plug electrodes exhibited light gray deposits, and suction was produced from the wet vacuum pump when its drive shaft was rotated.

Weather observations were not recorded at the airport. However, weather was recorded about 20 minutes before the accident at an airport approximately 16 nautical miles to the southeast, and about 140 feet lower in elevation. The observation at that time included a scattered cloud layer at 100 feet above the ground (agl) and an overcast cloud layer at 400 feet agl.

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