Cessna 150J accident near Marlette, Michigan, September 11, 1992
On September 11, 1992 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N50905, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marlette, Michigan (Marlette airport). It was an instructional 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-IN-COMMAND'S (CFI) INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE DUAL STUDENT PILOT AND THE DUAL STUDENT'S INADVERTENT APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1992 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Marlette, Michigan · Marlette · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N50905 · no longer on the register · serial 15069632
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS TRAINING THE PRIMARY STUDENT IN DETERMINING FLARE HEIGHT. DURING A LOW PASS DOWN THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN WHEELS TOUCHED THE RUNWAY, SEVERAL TIMES, WITH THE STUDENT INADVERTENTLY APPLYING BRAKES. THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE INADVERTENT LANDING BY APPLYING FULL POWER, AND REDUCING THE FLAPS FROM 30 DEGREES TO 10 DEGREES; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT CLEAR TREES 200 YARDS BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 3,500 FOOT LONG RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TREES AND DESCENDED INTO THE TERRAIN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 7,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1991; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 55G Croswell MI at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from FNT, 42 miles away
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.