Cessna 150L accident near Watford City, North Dakota, February 27, 1986
On February 27, 1986, a Cessna 150L, registered N16210, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watford City, North Dakota (Watford City Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1986
- Place
- Watford City, North Dakota · Watford City Muni · 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
- N16210 · registry record · serial 150-16210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A HARD LANDING ON RWY 30 AT WATFORD CITY MUNI ARPT, ND, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE STUDENT PLT SAID THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE THIRD TOUCH-AND-GO. THE PLT SAID HE USED ONLY 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS. HE NOTED SOME TURBULENCE AND AN INCREASE IN HEADWIND. THE PLT SAID THAT AFTER HE CROSSED THE RWY, HE CUT THE POWER AND FLARED, KEEPING HIS EYES STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE PLT SAID HE FLARED TOO SOON, THE ACFT STRUCK THE RWY AND BOUNCED. THE PLT DID NOT ADD POWER. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT SKIDDED TO A HALT ON THE RWY.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,331 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 1985; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN86LA084.