Cessna 150G accident near El Reno, Oklahoma, October 9, 1999
On October 9, 1999 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150G, registered N3603J, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Reno, Oklahoma. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power resulting from a fatigue failure of the intake rocker arm for the #4 cylinder. A factor was the soft terrain encountered during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1999 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- El Reno, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3603J · no longer on the register · serial 15064903
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A total loss of engine power occurred during a dual cross-county instructional flight. During the ensuing forced landing in soft terrain, the nose landing gear collapsed. Examination of the Continental O-200-A engine, revealed that the intake rocker arm on the #4 cylinder was separated. Metallurgical examination indicated that a fatigue fracture initiated on the push rod side of the rocker arm. There was no evidence of machining defects or mechanical deformation associated with the fatigue crack propagation. The #4 cylinder had accumulated 76 hours of operation since new at the time of the rocker arm failure. No maintenance records were found for any repair, overhaul, or replacement of the rocker arm for the #4 cylinder. Total time on the engine was 3,198 hours.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,075 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command; 488 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,198 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 1999; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunshine Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: GOK Guthrie OK at 7:00 pm
- Destination: HBR Hobart OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.