Climb-Out Stall at Tampa North
Marginal climb performance, uncoordinated turn, and the critical angle of attack — a low-altitude stall spiral in a 150-hp airplane
The scenario
Departing Tampa North Aero Park Airport (X39), Tampa, FL — Runway 14, a 3,541-foot asphalt strip. Elevation 68 ft MSL. You are flying a Cessna 150M, solo, full fuel (26 gallons usable), within weight and balance limits. The airplane is airworthy; nothing was written up on the last flight.
It is a hot, humid Florida summer afternoon: OAT 32°C (90°F), dew point 24°C, altimeter 29.89. Density altitude is approximately 2,400 ft — the airplane will perform as if it is at 2,400 ft elevation, not 68 ft. The C150M's Continental O-200-A is a 100-hp engine; climb performance is marginal even at sea level. At 2,400 ft density altitude, with a solo pilot and full fuel, you can expect a climb rate of roughly 300–400 ft/min — slow, but achievable.
Off Runway 14's departure end (heading 141°), the terrain is medium development, low-density development, and wooded wetland — no open fields, no clear alternate landing surfaces. Off Runway 32's departure end (heading 321°), the same: medium development and wetland. This is not a field with a generous off-field environment. A forced landing off either runway end will be into trees, houses, or wetland.
You are in Class G airspace (non-towered, CTAF), but the overlying Tampa Class B begins at 3,000 ft MSL. You are planning a local flight; you will stay below 2,000 ft MSL and remain clear of the Class B.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 150 hours total. You have 8 hours in the C150M; most of your time is in a C172. You did a preflight, ran the engine, and the magnetos checked out. You did not apply carburetor heat during the run-up because the engine ran smoothly. You did not brief yourself on the C150M's marginal climb performance or its stall characteristics — the airplane feels familiar, and you are confident.
The scenario begins as you line up on Runway 14 for takeoff. The wind is calm. Runway 14 is clear. You are cleared to go (CTAF self-announce).
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'X39 · Tampa North Aero Park'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '14/32'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '68 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'C150'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Takeoff / Landing'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about the C150M's climb and stall characteristics? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB CEN23FA401 (2023, FATAL): A Cessna 150K on an instructional flight was practicing touch-and-go landings. The flight instructor and student pilot experienced a partial loss of engine power due to fuel system blockage. During a descending left turn on base leg, the airplane stalled. The probable cause was the fuel system blockage (which reduced available power) combined with the flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate airspeed after the power loss. The airplane impacted terrain short of the runway.
NTSB WPR18FA244 (2018, FATAL): A Cessna 150 stalled during initial climb shortly after takeoff from Benton Field Airport. The pilot exceeded the critical angle of attack during the climb. Contributing factors included the pilot's failure to properly configure wing flaps for takeoff and high density altitude conditions. The airplane impacted terrain near the airport.
Both accidents occurred in the C150 family and share a common thread: the airplane stalled at low altitude during a critical phase of flight. In CEN23FA401, the stall occurred during a descending turn on base leg after a partial power loss. In WPR18FA244, the stall occurred during initial climb due to an excessive angle of attack. In both cases, the altitude was insufficient for recovery.
Tampa North Aero Park Airport (X39) is a non-towered field with challenging off-field terrain: medium development, low-density development, and wooded wetland off both runway ends. An uncontrolled stall/spin at low altitude off either runway end would result in impact into trees, houses, or wetland — a fatal outcome.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft — NOT at Tampa North Aero Park. X39 has its own accident history (see field dominant patterns: LOSS_OF_CONTROL_INFLIGHT 27.3%, LOSS_OF_CONTROL_GROUND 18.2%, STALL_SPIN 9.1%), but these specific fatal events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to X39 to make the off-field environment real and consequential for you as a student here.
The consistent thread across all these events: the C150M is a marginal-climb, stall/spin-sensitive airplane. At high density altitude, with full fuel, or in a steep turn, the margin between airspeed and stall speed shrinks rapidly. The critical angle of attack is fixed; exceeding it causes a stall regardless of airspeed. The recovery procedure (throttle to idle, opposite rudder, forward elevator, neutral ailerons) works — but only if there is altitude to execute it. At 200–500 ft AGL, there is not.
Key lesson — The C150M's 100-hp Continental O-200 is marginal on climb, especially at high density altitude. Maintain Vy (68 KIAS) on climb-out, keep turns coordinated and shallow (15° bank or less), and never exceed the critical angle of attack. At low altitude, a stall is fatal — there is no altitude to recover. Off Runway 14 at X39, the off-field environment is medium development and wooded wetland: an uncontrolled stall/spin means impact into trees or houses.
Debrief — teaching points
The C150M's climb performance is marginal — especially at high density altitude.
The Continental O-200-A is a 100-hp engine. At sea level, the C150M climbs at roughly 600 ft/min. At a density altitude of 2,400 ft (as in this scenario on a hot Florida day), the climb rate drops to 300–400 ft/min. With full fuel and a solo pilot, expect the lower end of that range. This is not a fast climb. Plan your departure accordingly: climb straight out, avoid steep turns, and do not try to gain altitude quickly by pitching up steeply. A steep pitch does not increase climb rate — it increases angle of attack and decreases airspeed, bringing you closer to a stall.
Stall speed increases in a turn — the load factor matters.
In level flight, the C150M stalls at 47 KIAS (clean). In a 15° bank, stall speed increases to roughly 50 KIAS. In a 25° bank, it increases to roughly 52 KIAS. In a 35° bank, it increases to roughly 58 KIAS. In an uncoordinated turn (slipping or skidding), the stall speed increases further — by 5–10 KIAS. If you are climbing at 68 KIAS (Vy) and you make a 35° bank turn, your stall speed is 58 KIAS and your margin is only 10 KIAS. A gust or a moment of inattention can trigger a stall. Keep turns shallow (15° bank or less) and coordinated on climb-out.
The critical angle of attack is fixed; it is not a speed.
A stall occurs when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack — roughly 16–18° for a C150. This angle is fixed and does not change with airspeed, altitude, or weight. You can stall at any airspeed if you exceed the critical angle of attack. Pulling back hard on the yoke increases angle of attack. A steep pitch attitude on climb-out is a high angle of attack. If the airspeed is low (60 KIAS) and the pitch is steep, you are close to the critical angle. The stall warning (buffeting, mushy controls) arrives just before the stall breaks. At low altitude, there is no time to recover.
Spin recovery requires altitude — at low altitude, a spin is fatal.
The spin recovery procedure is: (1) Reduce throttle to idle, (2) Apply opposite rudder to stop the rotation, (3) Push forward on the yoke to break the stall, (4) Neutral ailerons. This procedure works — but it takes altitude. A typical spin loses 500–1,000 ft of altitude during recovery. If you enter a spin at 500 ft AGL, you may recover at 0 ft AGL — ground level. There is no margin. The only way to survive a spin at low altitude is to avoid entering one: maintain proper airspeed, keep turns coordinated and shallow, and never exceed the critical angle of attack.
Carburetor heat is proactive, not reactive — apply it before the symptom appears.
The C150M's Continental O-200 is carbureted. In warm, moist conditions (like a Florida summer afternoon), carburetor ice can form even at sea level. The FAA icing probability chart shows serious icing risk at glide power in temperatures between 20–30°C with high relative humidity. Apply carburetor heat during the run-up check (and confirm the expected RPM drop and recovery) and consider its use during climb-out in visible moisture or high humidity. Waiting for engine roughness to appear at 400 ft AGL is waiting too long. Proactive carb heat use is not optional in conducive conditions.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB CEN23FA401 (2023, C150K stall during descent after partial power loss) and WPR18FA244 (2018, C150 stall during initial climb, flap misconfiguration and high density altitude). Both fatal accidents in the C150 family. Localized to Tampa North Aero Park Airport (X39), a non-towered field in the Tampa Class B environment.
NTSB reports: CEN23FA401 · WPR18FA244
ACS tasks: PA.I.F — Weather Information · PA.II.A — Preflight Inspection · PA.II.B — Engine Starting / Systems Preflight · PA.III.A — Normal Takeoff and Climb · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.103
Step through the full decision tree, make the calls, and see where each choice leads — then debrief it with your CFI.
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