Cessna 150 accident near Hazel Green, Alabama, April 11, 1994
On April 11, 1994 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N11560, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hazel Green, Alabama (Jones Field). It was a personal 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHEN THE FRACTURED PIECE OF THE ROCKER BOSS INTERRUPTED THE NORMAL OPERATION OF A MOVABLE COMPONENT UNDER THE VALVE COVER. A FACTOR WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN IN THE LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 1994 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Hazel Green, Alabama · Jones Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N11560 · no longer on the register · serial 15075521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON ARRIVING FROM A FORTY MINUTE LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT ENTERED A TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING AT HIS PRIVATE SOD AIRSTRIP. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT ELECTED TO GO AROUND BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS WALKING ON THE SOD STRIP. WHEN THE PILOT APPLIED POWER THE ENGINE FAILED TO DEVELOP FULL POWER AND HE HEARD A LOUD BACK FIRING SOUND COME FROM THE ENGINE. WITH REDUCED POWER, 1600 RPM, THE PILOT MADE A 270 DEGREE LEFT TURN AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD ADJACENT TO HIS AIRSTRIP; AT TOUCH DOWN THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY DISCLOSED THAT, THE OUTER TOP OR HALF MOON SECTION OF THE INTAKE BOSS, ON NUMBER 3 CYLINDER HEAD, HAD SEPARATED FROM THE BOSS. THE HALF MOON SECTION OF THE BOSS ASSEMBLY WAS RECOVERED FROM INSIDE THE ROCKER COVER AND EXAMINED. THE EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE FACE REVEALED AREAS OF FATIGUE STRIATIONS, AND A POST-FRACTURE MARK ON THE OUTER RADIUS. THE EXAMINATION ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE FUNCTIONAL ABILITY OF THE CYLINDER WAS NOT EFFECTED UNLESS THE SEPARATED PIECE OF BOSS WAS WEDGED UNDER ONE OF THE MOVEABLE COMPONENTS OF THE CYLINDER HEAD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,633 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 4,579 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,643 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1993; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,100 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from HSV, 20 miles away
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.
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.