Cessna 150 accident near Brownfield, Texas, March 18, 2007
On March 18, 2007 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N4242U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownfield, Texas (Terry County airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering. A contributing factor was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2007 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Brownfield, Texas · Terry County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N4242U · no longer on the register · serial 15060242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The single-engine airplane impacted terrain while performing basic flight maneuvers. The 184-hour instrument rated private pilot reported in the NTSB Form 6120.1 (Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report) that he had flown out 25 nautical miles to their local practice area to execute ground reference maneuvers. He added that he first executed S-turns across a road and then practiced "turns around a point" at an altitude of approximately 800 feet above ground level. The pilot added that while executing the turns around a point maneuver, the airplane encountered "a sudden downdraft" that "pushed the airplane to the ground." The pilot's efforts to control the airplane were not effective and the airplane impacted a soft wheat field in the upright position. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, who responded to the accident site, stated that upon impact with the ground "the nose landing gear dug-into the soft soil, sheared-off, and the aircraft flipped upside down approximately 200 feet from the initial impact point." He further stated that he found the nose gear assembly approximately 50 feet south of the resting point of the airplane. The pilot and student pilot passenger received minor injuries and were able to exit the airplane unassisted. The airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage, wings, and engine mounts. An engine examination and teardown was performed by an airframe and powerplant mechanic in the presence of the FAA inspector. No engine anomalies were found that could have prevented normal operation. The weather at the nearest weather reporting facility located approximately 5 miles to the east of the accident site, reported wind from the southwest at 14 knots gusting to 18 knots, clear skies, 10 miles visibility, and barometric pressure setting of 29.87 inches of Mercury.
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
- Flight time: 184 hours in all; 144 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,596 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2007
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KLLN Levelland TX at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 14 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 11:05 pm from KBFE, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.