Cessna 150L accident near Seneca Falls, New York, October 21, 2012
On October 21, 2012 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N1791Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Seneca Falls, New York (Finger Lakes Regional Airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing, which resulted in an impact with a drainage ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2012 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Seneca Falls, New York · Finger Lakes Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1791Q · registry record · serial 15073091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he did not obtain a preflight weather briefing before the local flight. At the time of departure the wind was from 270 degrees at 9 knots; however, the pilot reported that after being airborne for about 1 hour 15 minutes, the wind velocity at the airport had increased to 17 knots with gusts to 28 knots. When the pilot returned to the departure airport, he decided to land on the grass runway designated 28. He said that he flew a normal traffic pattern, and as he was flaring to land, a wind gust raised the left wing. He immediately applied left aileron and right rudder inputs and leveled the wings, but the airplane drifted to the left. The left main landing gear went into a ditch and the left wingtip was substantially damaged when it contacted the corn crop adjacent to the runway. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane or systems that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Ground collision during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 358 hours in all; 261 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 286 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 3, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0G7 Seneca Falls NY at 1:45 pm
- Destination: 0G7 Seneca Falls NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 1,850 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PEO, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA13CA051.