Cessna 150 accident near Taunton, Massachusetts, January 26, 2010
On January 26, 2010 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N5478Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Taunton, Massachusetts (Taunton Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2010 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Taunton, Massachusetts · Taunton Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 L · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N5478Q · no longer on the register · serial 15073378
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on the 3,500-foot-long runway, which was oriented 300 degrees magnetic. Prior to touchdown, the pilot decided to conduct a touch-and-go landing. The pilot stated that after touchdown he moved the carburetor heat to the "cold" position and applied power to take off. The engine "stumbled and popped," and the pilot aborted the takeoff and "applied hard braking." The airplane departed the end of the runway and impacted snow and ice past the runway edge. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall. A witness stated that he saw the airplane "level off" at "the first one-third point" and continue down the runway "at an altitude of 15 feet and estimated 70 knots." He stated that the airplane touched down "on the last quarter of the runway," and he heard tires "squealing." A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane after the accident identified no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures. The recorded weather observation around the time of the accident included winds from 230 degrees at 11 knots, with gusts to 19 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 21, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,937 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TAN Taunton MA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: TAN Taunton MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 45 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.53 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from TAN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.