Cessna 150M accident near Greenwood, Indiana, March 18, 2014
On March 18, 2014 at about 2:43 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 150M, registered N9432U, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Greenwood, Indiana (Greenwood Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to ensure that carburetor heat was used while performing maneuvers at reduced power settings in conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor ice, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to carburetor ice. Also causal was the flight instructor's failure to secure the engine before landing, which resulted in a sudden increase of engine power and an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2014 · about 2:43 pm local time
- Place
- Greenwood, Indiana · Greenwood Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M, built 1976 · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9432U · no longer on the register · serial 15078380
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the airplane sustained a partial loss of engine power after his student completed several training maneuvers at a reduced engine power setting. The subsequent application of full throttle did not increase the engine power, and the engine continued to operate with reduced power. The flight instructor then took control of the airplane and established best glide speed while he verified that the magnetos were operating properly, that the fuel selector was in the "on" position, and that the mixture and throttle were full forward. Applying carburetor heat did not noticeably affect engine operation. The instructor remembered maneuvering toward a nearby field for a forced landing; however, he did not recall the landing or impact with terrain. The student pilot stated that, shortly before flare/touchdown and when the airplane was about 25 to 30 feet above the ground, the engine power increased suddenly, which caused the airplane to pitch up and enter an aerodynamic stall. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain. An examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal engine operation. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice at cruise and descent engine power settings. Additionally, an aviation mechanic confirmed the existence of carburetor icing conditions at the departure airport within 1 hour of the accident. The instructor confirmed that carburetor heat had not been used during any of the training maneuvers completed at reduced engine power settings. The failure to use carburetor heat while performing flight maneuvers at reduced engine power settings while in conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor ice likely resulted in the partial loss of engine power. The sudden increase of engine power shortly before landing was likely due to a reduction of accumulated carburetor ice following the flight instructor's application of carburetor heat and the increase in ambient temperature as the airplane descended during the forced landing.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Air intake › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,012 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 11,857 as pilot in command; 448 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 17, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,255 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 17, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jeff Air Pilot Services, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HFY Greenwood IN at 2:15 pm
- Destination: HFY Greenwood IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 2:49 pm from IND, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.