Cessna 150E accident near Amarillo, Texas, December 7, 1990
On December 7, 1990 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N3956U, was destroyed in an accident near Amarillo, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNDERPOWERED TAKEOFF ATTEMPT DUE TO INCORRECTLY SET MAGNETOS. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE TRANSMISSION LINES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1990 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Amarillo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N3956U · no longer on the register · serial 5061356
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING DEPARTURE FROM AN UNIMPROVED 1,800-FT GRASS AIRSTRIP, IN A HIGH GROSS WEIGHT AIRPLANE, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED. THE PILOT WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN TO AVOID ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES AT THE DEPARTURE END. THE AIRPLANE HAD JUST COMPLETED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. BOTH MAGNETOS HAD BEEN INCORRECTLY SET TO 16 DEG BEFORE TOP DEAD CENTER. ACCORDING TO THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER THIS SETTING WOULD RESULT IN A POWER LOSS OF APRX 30%.
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: 290 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 248 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Observation at 10:52 pm from AMA, 13 miles away
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.
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.