Cessna 150M accident near Key Biscayne, Florida, October 26, 2015
On October 26, 2015 at about 6:23 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 150M, registered N171RD, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Key Biscayne, Florida. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fatigue failure of the No. 1 cylinder intake valve, which resulted in the partial loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 2015 · about 6:23 pm local time
- Place
- Key Biscayne, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M, built 1976 · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N171RD · registry record · serial 15078530
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a personal flight. The pilot reported that, several minutes after takeoff and while en route to his destination airport, the engine began to run roughly and lose power. He subsequently attempted to restore power without success. He then maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing on the fairway of a golf course. The airplane touched down on wet grass, and the pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it collided with two palm trees, which separated the outboard sections of both wings. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the intake valve of the No. 1 cylinder had failed due to fatigue, which would have resulted in the partial loss of engine power and engine roughness reported by the pilot. The origin and the extent of the fatigue region could not be determined due to postfracture damage. Further examination of the tip of the valve revealed an abnormal contact wear pattern likely caused by either misalignment relative to the valve seat, valve guide wear, or sticking between the valve stem and the valve guide. A review of maintenance records revealed that new cylinders had been installed when the engine was overhauled about 904 total flight hours before the accident.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 20, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,183.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 2014; 132 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ameri Air Support, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: OPF Opa-Locka FL at 6:01 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:39 pm from MIA, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.