Cessna 150M accident near West Hempstead, New York, January 30, 1992
On January 30, 1992 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N7673U, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Hempstead, New York. It was an aerial observation 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
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1992 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- West Hempstead, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N7673U · no longer on the register · serial 15077799
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL AERIAL TRAFFIC OBSERVATION FLIGHT, AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS EXPERIENCING ENGINE PROBLEMS. HE SAID HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND ADJUSTED THE MIXTURE, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AGL THE AIRPLANE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A HIGH SCHOOL TRACK FIELD WHERE IT CAME TO REST AFTER SLIDING INTO A FENCE. THE AIRPLANE WAS MOVED TO A HANGAR AND THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN. NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL PERFORMED AS EXPECTED. THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND INSPECTED WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. FUEL SAMPLES WERE TAKEN AND NO CONTAMINATES WERE FOUND. THE LOCAL TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 21 DEGREES F AND THE DEW POINT WAS 19 DEGREES F. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CURVES THIS WEATHER CONDITION IS CONDUCIVE TO INDUCTION SYSTEM ICING.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 912 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 129 in the last 30 days; 701 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 23, 1992; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWV Brook Haven NY at 11:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:10 pm from JFK, 15 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.