Cessna 150H accident near Kansas City, Missouri, October 22, 1993
On October 22, 1993 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N23487, was destroyed in an accident near Kansas City, Missouri (Kansas City - Downtown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, AND THE PILOT INITIATING THE FLIGHT WITH A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE BUILDING AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1993 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Missouri · Kansas City - Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N23487 · registry record · serial 15068984
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH WHEN IT WAS STARTED. ONE WITNESS STATED IT CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH AS THE PILOT TAXIED FOR TAKEOFF. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND LOSING POWER. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO A PARKING LOT AND THE SIDE OF A VACANT BUILDING. A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE, WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER. THE METAL CAP ON THE BACK OF THE MAGNETO IGNITION SWITCH WAS OFF AND WAS LYING CLOSE TO THE TERMINALS. IF THE METAL CAP HAD TOUCHED THE TERMINALS, IT WOULD HAVE GROUNDED THE MAGNETO; HOWEVER, THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE CAP HAD SEPARATED FROM IMPACT FORCES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,774 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 14, 1993; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC at 4:20 pm
- Destination: AIZ Lake Ozark MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:25 pm from MKC, 1 miles away
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.