Cessna 150F accident near Levelland, Texas, May 22, 2006
On May 22, 2006 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N6242R, was destroyed in an accident near Levelland, Texas (Levelland Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall. Contributing factors were low altitude and the gusting wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2006 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Levelland, Texas · Levelland Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6242R · no longer on the register · serial 15061542
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A 2,300-hour flight instructor and 22-hour student pilot departed for an instructional flight. The first witness, who is also a certificate flight instructor (CFI), and employed by the same flight school as the accident flight instructor and student, reported that he drove an automobile onto an intersection taxiway hoping to get the accident pilot's attention. The CFI observed that the airplane's takeoff was "abrupt and nose high." The airplane continued its takeoff run before a slight "leveling off," before an additional climb of 50-100 feet and then entering a steep left banked turn. The airplane then descended to about 50 feet while on the downwind leg, before climbing back to 100-200 feet. A second witness reported that he noticed the airplane taxi onto runway 17 while the weather conditions were "windy-gusty, 30 plus" which is why he kept his attention on the airplane. The witness said he saw a car at the "first taxiway exit" and the person in the car began to wave out the window "as if he was flagging the aircraft down." The witness reported hearing the engine accelerate to full power and sounded normal. During takeoff, the witness noted that the airplane was "sharply pulled into flight" before the nose was lowered to build airspeed for a couple seconds. He added that "the airplane began a normal climb to about 300 feet, then banked hard left at a 70 plus degree bank, and after a 180 degree turn, the airplane dove sharply to approximately 30 feet." The witness added the airplane then "sharply climbed" to about 300 feet. The airplane then "sharply turned left again, at a 70-80 degree bank" and appeared to "rock" once, prior to impacting the ground in a nose low attitude. At the time of the accident, a university weather station reported wind from 139 degrees at 28 knots, gusting to 37 knots. Flight control continuity was established at the accident site. A detailed post-crash examination of the wreckage failed to identify any pre-impact abnormalities with the airplane.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 22 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,780.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2005; 41.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bernstein Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Q24 Levelland TX
- Destination: Levelland TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,110 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 139° at 28 knots, gusting 37
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 11:40 pm, 1 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.