Cessna 150M accident near Miami, Florida, October 19, 1997
On October 19, 1997 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N7814U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
excessive wear to the number one valve stem and valve stem keepers that resulted in the separation of the valve assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1997 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N7814U · no longer on the register · serial 150-77847
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 10 minutes into the flight, at a cruise altitude of 1000 feet, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. He radioed a 'mayday' call and selected a nearby golf course for an emergency landing. The airplane collided with a palm tree during the emergency landing roll. Examination of the engine assembly revealed that number one cylinder lower spark plug was partially separated from the cylinder. During the subsequent engine teardown, the number one exhaust valve head was recovered from inside the cylinder. The examination also of the exhaust valve stem and the and the valve stem keepers showed excessive wear. The valve stem keepers had also separated from their normally installed positions. A review of the aircraft maintenance logs disclosed that the engine had undergone several major engine repairs, involving the valve assemblies, within the last ten years. An engine top overhaul was completed 370 hours before this accident. The engine had accumulated a total of 5,603 hours.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 180 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,603 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1997; 90 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: HWO FL at 2:20 pm
- Destination: MTH Marathon FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from MIA, 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.