Cessna A150M accident near Tarentum, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1993
On May 12, 1993 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna A150M, registered N9891J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tarentum, Pennsylvania (West Penn airport). 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITION AND PROXIMITY OF THE PARKED AIRCRAFT WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 1993 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tarentum, Pennsylvania · West Penn · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A150M · all A150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9891J · no longer on the register · serial A1500700
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ON HIS RETURN FROM A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT HE ENCOUNTERED AN UPDRAFT AND DOWNDRAFT WHILE LANDING. HE STATED THAT AS HE NEARED HIS POSITION FOR LANDING, THE WIND CHANGED DIRECTION, AND AS HE WAS ABOUT TO APPLY POWER, THERE WAS AN UPDRAFT AND THE AIRPLANE ALMOST STALLED. HE REPORTED THAT HE PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN AND CONTINUED INTO THE FLARE/TOUCHDOWN BUT THE AIRPLANE WAS LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE AND VEERING TOWARDS AN UNOCCUPIED AIRCRAFT THAT WAS PARKED 22 FEET OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY ON A GRASSY AREA. DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE PARKED AIRPLANE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED, IF THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN PARKED CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 16, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9G1 at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 9G1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,645 ft by 37 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from AGC, 1 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.