Cessna 150J accident near North Little Ro, Arkansas, July 22, 1982
On July 22, 1982, a Cessna 150J, registered N60246, was destroyed in an accident near North Little Ro, Arkansas (North Little Rock airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1982
- Place
- North Little Ro, Arkansas · North Little Rock
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N60246 · no longer on the register · serial 70167
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A RIGHT TURN AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RWY 17 THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. A WITNESS HEARD THE ENG BACKFIRING. THE PLT CONTINUED THE RIGHT TURN & ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON RWY 35. HE WAS DESCRIBED AS BEING TOO HIGH & HOT, & TOUCHED DOWN, OR ALMOST TOUCHED DOWN, NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. HE MADE A GO-AROUND WITH FULL FLAPS EXTENDED & JUST CLEARED TREES AT THE NORTH END OF RWY 35. HIS MANEUVERS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE CRASH WERE DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF A SPIN. BOTH MAGNETOES WERE DISASSEMBLED & CONTAINED AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF GREASE & OIL. THE RIGHT MAGNETO'S HIGH VOLTAGE CONTACT FINGER OF THE DISTRIBUTOR WAS COATED WITH GREASE & OIL AT THE CONTACT POINT. THE EXHAUST VALVE OF THE #3 CYLINDER WAS STUCK. THE #3 CYLINDER TOP SPARK PLUG WAS NOT OPERATING.
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
- Flight time: 227 hours in all; 219 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 219 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,142 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: North Little Ro AR at 7:10 pm
- Destination: North Little Ro AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 181°F (83°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.