Cessna 150 accident near Ft. Collins, Colorado, July 13, 1992
On July 13, 1992 at about 10:29 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N66315, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Collins, Colorado. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER RATE OF DESCENT AND LACK OF FLARE WHILE CONDUCTING A FORCED LANDING. FACTORS WERE: PARTIAL POWER LOSS DUE TO STUCK EXHAUST VALVES CAUSED BY ENGINE OVERHEAT FROM IMPROPER LEANING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1992 · about 10:29 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Collins, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N66315 · no longer on the register · serial 15075984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING TAKEOFF, WHILE CONDUCTING A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. TOUCH DOWN WAS HARD AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED TWO CYLINDERS WITH EXHAUST VALVES STUCK OPEN. EVIDENCE OF OVERHEAT WAS PRESENT AND ALL ENGINE COOLING DEVICES WERE PROPERLY IN PLACE. THE OPERATOR HAD BRIEFED ALL HIS INSTRUCTORS ON LEANING TO PEAK POWER DUE TO HIGH ALTITUDE PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 793 hours in all; 205 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 727 as pilot in command; 397 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,270 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 8, 1992; 92 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: 3V5 at 9:45 pm
- Destination: 3V5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.