Cessna 150M accident near Lubbock, Texas, August 18, 1985
On August 18, 1985 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N714AE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lubbock, Texas (Lubbock Intl. airport). It was an instructional 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 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
- August 18, 1985 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · Lubbock Intl. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N714AE · registry record · serial 15079020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT HE WAS CLEARED FOR AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF ON RWY 17R. AFTER HIS RUN UP, THE PLT ATTEMPTED A NIGHT TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH ON AN UNLIGHTED TAXIWAY THAT RAN PARALLEL TO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. CONTROLLERS ADVISED THE PILOT TO ABORT, WHICH HE DID, HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE ACFT PRIOR TO RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE TAXIWAY. PLT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT APPLIED FULL BRAKING AS THE TAXIWAY WAS NOT LIT AND HIS LANDING LIGHT WAS INOP AND AS A RESULT HE COULD NOT SEE HOW MUCH TAXIWAY REMAINED. HE CITED HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPORT AS BEING THE REASON HE ATTEMPTED TO DEPART ON THE TAXIWAY. HE DID NOT EXPLAIN WHY HE ATTEMPTED TO DEPART TO THE NORTH WHEN HE WAS CLEARED TO SOUTH ON RUNWAY 17R.
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: 84 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FTW Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 11,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from LBB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N714AE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.