Cessna 150M accident near Arlington, Texas, September 24, 1990
On September 24, 1990 at about 8:23 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N66689, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arlington, Texas (Arlington Muni. airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY FLARE THE AIRPLANE FOR LANDING AND HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE THE PROPER RECOVERY PROCEDURES FOLLOWING THE BOUNCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1990 · about 8:23 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Texas · Arlington Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N66689 · no longer on the register · serial 15076212
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT AFTER A NORMAL APPROACH AND LANDING, HE EXPERIENCED A NOSE WHEEL SHIMMY AND THE AIRPLANE PULLED TO THE LEFT. HE STATED THAT HIS ATTEMPTS TO RAISE THE NOSE WHEEL OFF OF THE RUNWAY RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE BECOMING AIRBORNE ONCE OR TWICE, AND THAT ON THE SECOND OR THIRD TOUCHDOWN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE HAD A HISTORY OF NOSE WHEEL SHIMMY AND THAT IT HAD OCCURRED ON THE PREVIOUS TAKEOF. A CFI WHO OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT SAID THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL BUT, INSTEAD OF FLARING, THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN AND HIT THE RUNWAY IN A 'CLASSIC WHEELBARROW NOSE WHEEL FIRST CONFIGURATION.' THE THEN SAW THE AIRPLANE BOUNCE AND COME DOWN ON THE NOSE A SECOND TIME AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND AND THE OPERATOR'S RECORDS DID NOT INDICATE A HISTORY OF NOSE GEAR SHIMMY.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 59 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 26 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,135 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 17, 1990; 27 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: F67 Grand Prairie TX
- Destination: F54
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from DFW, 15 miles away
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.