Cessna 150B accident near Shelbyville, Indiana, March 20, 1990
On March 20, 1990 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150B, registered N7379X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shelbyville, Indiana (Shelbyville Muni 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 PRIVATE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING. THE CROSSWIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 1990 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Shelbyville, Indiana · Shelbyville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150B · all 150Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7379X · no longer on the register · serial 15059479
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT JUST AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY, A WIND GUST LIFTED THE LEFT WING, AND THE AIRPLANE YAWED TO THE LEFT. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE RIGHT WING TIP DRAGGED ON THE PAVEMENT BEFORE THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP ABOUT 2 TO 3 FEET OFF THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE WINDS WERE FROM 280 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 12 KNOTS. RUNWAY 36 WAS IN USE.
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
- Flight time: 440 hours in all; 147 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 384 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1990; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MQJ Mt Comfort IN at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,732 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from IND, 24 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.