What is a Cessna 150? About the plane involved in the deadly Pennsylvania crash
The small airplane involved in Wednesday’s deadly collision with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter is a model that has been used extensively for flight training for decades.
A Cessna 150 struck a Pennsylvania State Police Bell 407 helicopter during a training exercise at Carlisle Airport, killing the airplane’s pilot and injuring two state police aviation team members, officials said.
The Cumberland County Coroner’s Office identified the Cessna pilot as Dr. Paul Sokoloski, 57, of Hershey. Sokoloski was a physician at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and was believed to be the airplane’s only occupant.
Cessna 150 broken in pieces
What is a Cessna 150?
Cessna Aircraft Company introduced the all-metal Cessna 150 in 1959, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. The high-wing airplane has two side-by-side seats, one engine and tricycle landing gear consisting of a steerable nose wheel and two main wheels.
Cessna promoted the airplane as the “world’s premier trainer,” according to AOPA. Its side-by-side seating facilitated instruction, while its landing gear made ground handling and landings easier for student pilots.
The Cessna 150 was offered in four principal versions:
StandardTrainerCommuterPatroller
Cessna also produced seaplane and Aerobat variants.
One of Cessna’s best-selling aircraft
More than 22,000 Cessna 150 airplanes were manufactured before the Cessna 152 replaced the model in 1978, AOPA reported. The combined Cessna 150 and 152 series became the company’s second-best-selling aircraft line after the Cessna 172.
AOPA estimates that approximately 250,000 pilots learned to fly in the Cessna 150 and 152 series.
AOPA has described the Cessna 150’s handling as “superb,” citing its stability and predictable stall characteristics. Its light wing loading, however, can produce an uncomfortable ride in anything stronger than light turbulence.
Aircraft specifications
The Cessna 150 is generally powered by a four-cylinder Continental O-200-A engine rated at 100 horsepower, according to AOPA.
Its basic specifications include:
Two seatsOne 100-horsepower engineHigh-wing constructionTricycle landing gearTwo 13-gallon fuel tanksAn optional 38-gallon long-range fuel systemA 14-volt electrical system
The airplane is certified in the utility category and can operate under daytime and nighttime visual flight rules, according to AOPA. With additional equipment, it may also be flown under instrument flight rules.