Cessna A150L accident near Bellaire, Michigan, September 24, 1991
On September 24, 1991 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna A150L, registered N4501F, was destroyed in an accident near Bellaire, Michigan. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION WHICH RESULTED IN AN INAVERENT STALL AND UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO TERRAIN. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1991 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bellaire, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A150L · all A150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N4501F · registry record · serial A1500414
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR AND PRE SOLO STUDENT PILOT WERE ON A LOCAL DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A STEEP NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, THEN 'THE FRONT END DROPPED OUT AND IT SPUN DOWN WARD, TWISTING AND SPIRALLING...BEHIND THE TREES.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN 85 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, WITH NO EVIDENCE OF ROTATION ABOUT THE LONGITITUDINAL AXIS. BOTH HAND GRIPS WERE BROKEN OFF THE LEFT YOKE, AND THE LEFT HAND GRIP WAS BROKEN OFF THE RIGHT YOKE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE IMPACT MECHANICAL DIFFICULTY WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,308 hours in all; 100 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 2,260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,738 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 5, 1991; 90 hours since
- 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 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.