Cessna 150L accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 21, 2009
On May 21, 2009 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N17214, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Baton Rouge Metro Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power due to the instructor pilot's failure to use carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the instructor pilot's decision to attempt a return to the departure airport with degraded engine performance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2009 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana · Baton Rouge Metro Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N17214 · no longer on the register · serial 15073667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) were conducting a night, cross country flight. Weather conditions were conducive to carburetor icing at both cruise and descent power settings. When the airplane was about 7 miles from their first destination, the engine's performance began to decay. The CFI ignored the student pilot's suggestion to turn on the carburetor heat and elected to turn around and fly approximately 16 miles back to their departure airfield. The engine performance continued to decay, forcing the CFI to land in a field about four miles from the airport. During landing, the airplane flipped over on its back, resulting in substantial damage.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel related during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Decision related to condition
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: March 3, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 56 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,995.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 2008
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-200 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTR Baton Rouge LA
- Destination: HZR New Roads LA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Observation at 1:53 am from BTR, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.