Cessna 150 accident near Decatur, Texas, April 3, 1991
On April 3, 1991 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N2204J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Texas (Decatur airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION AND THE STUDENT'S FAILURE TO RELINGUISH CONTROLS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1991 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Texas · Decatur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N2204J · registry record · serial 15065404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A LANDING WITH CROSSWIND. DURING THE LANDING FLARE THE STUDENT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND IT BEGAN TO EXIT THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE LANDING BY ADDING FULL POWER AND CARBURETOR HEAT. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TOUCHED DOWN AND THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED. DURING THE RECOVERY, THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE; HOWEVER, THE STUDENT PILOT WOULD NOT YIELD THE CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES NEXT TO THE RUNWAY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 296 as pilot in command; 80 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no 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
- Departed from: 1F9 Bridgeport TX at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,550 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N2204J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW91LA059.