Cessna 150L accident near Sellersburg, Indiana, March 22, 1989
On March 22, 1989 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N5228Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sellersburg, Indiana (Clark County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN. THE STUDENT PILOTS LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND GUSTY CROSSWINDS ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1989 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sellersburg, Indiana · Clark County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5228Q · no longer on the register · serial 15073128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT FOLLOWING A GO-AROUND THE STUDENT PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DRIFT OFF THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE AS HE TOUCHED DOWN. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER IN THE SOFT TERRAIN. HE ABORTED HIS FIRST ATTEMPT WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS OVER THE RUNWAY AND CLOSE TO THE SURFACE.
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: student
- Flight time: 23 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.