Cessna 150L accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, July 7, 1991
On July 7, 1991 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N5321Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AND SUBSEQUENT NOSE OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPERLY PERFORMED 100 HOUR INSPECTION BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1991 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5321Q · registry record · serial 15073221
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLIGHT THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THROTTLE MOVEMENTS. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE BOLT HAD COME OUT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE ROD END THAT CONNECTS TO THE CARBURETOR. NONE OF THE CONNECTING HARDWARE WAS FOUND. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,296 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 12,227 as pilot in command; 5,561 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,953 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 25, 1992; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI AK at 3:17 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5321Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.