Cessna 150 accident near Garrison, North Dakota, March 31, 1989
On March 31, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N6071K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Garrison, North Dakota (Garrison 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
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE STUDENT AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT BY THE CFI WHICH DAMAGED THE NOSE GEAR AND RESTRICTED MOVEMENT OF THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING AND RUDDER CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Garrison, North Dakota · Garrison · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6071K · registry record · serial 15077509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE PRACTICING A SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING ON RWY 13 WITH THE STUDENT OPERATING THE CONTROLS. THE CFI TOLD THE STUDENT TO EXTEND FULL FLAPS WHEN HE WAS SURE HE COULD LAND ON THE RWY. THE STUDENT COMPLIED, BUT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD & BOUNCED BACK IN THE AIR. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS & ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND; HOWEVER, HE THOUGHT THE RUDDER CONTROL WAS INEFFECTIVE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE RWY & THE ACFT WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. A POST-ACDNT EXAM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT DAMAGE OR MALFUNCTION. HOWEVER, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE HARD LANDING HAD DAMAGED THE NOSE GEAR WHICH EFFECTED THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING & RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEMS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 755 hours in all; 396 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 585 as pilot in command; 250 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: DO5 at 6:15 pm
- Destination: DO5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,050 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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.