Cessna 150G accident near Hitchcock, Texas, July 29, 1991
On July 29, 1991 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Cessna 150G, registered N8585J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hitchcock, Texas (Hitchcock airport). It was a personal 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
A POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED DURING THE FORCED LANDING. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S CONTINUED OPERATION WITH A KNOWN ENGINE DEFICIENCY AND THE OWNER/OPERATOR'S FAILURE TO PERFORM NEEDED MAINTENANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1991 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Hitchcock, Texas · Hitchcock · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N8585J · no longer on the register · serial 15066485
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT UPON RENTING A CESSNA 150G, WAS ADVISED BY THE OWNER THAT THE AIRPLANE REQUIRED THE MIXTURE TO BE LEANED IN ORDER TO RUN SMOOTHLY. UPON DEPARTURE, UTILIZING A LEANED MIXTURE, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONDUCT A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. A SECOND PRE-FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED AND A DEPARTURE WAS COMMENCED FROM THE GRASS AIRSTRIP. AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 FEET DOWN THE 2,600 FOOT AIRSTRIP, AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 25 FEET, A POWER LOSS OCCURRED AND THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. PERFORMANCE DATA INDICATES THAT THE TOTAL DISTANCE TO CLEAR A 50 FOOT OBSTACLE, GIVEN THE EXISTING CONDITIONS, WAS 1,625 FEET. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE NOSE TO LAND BUT WAS TOO SLOW TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING ATTITUDE. ELEVATION WAS 20 FEET MSL.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,035 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 928 as pilot in command; 27 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
- Operator: Avtex Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SPX League City TX at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.