Cessna 150L accident near Montrose, Colorado, September 21, 2023
On September 21, 2023 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N5460Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Montrose, Colorado (Montrose Rgnl 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a gusting quartering headwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2023 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Montrose, Colorado · Montrose Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5460Q · registry record · serial 15073360
- 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, during the third stop-and-go landing, the airplane touched down and veered to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder; however, the pilot encountered an unexpected wind gust, and the airplane weather vaned to the right. The airplane ground looped to the right, partially collapsing the left main landing gear, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage structure. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 17 with wind from 200° at 12 knots and gusting to 21 knots.
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 control on ground during landing defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,205 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 69 in the last 30 days; 3,210 as pilot in command; 550 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 9, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,963 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 3,966 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KMTJ
Weather report (METAR): KMTJ 211653Z AUTO 20012G21KT 10SM CLR 22/00 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP109 T02220000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 9, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photograph | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.