Cessna 150H accident near Benton, Arkansas, May 5, 1992
On May 5, 1992 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N23506, was destroyed in an accident near Benton, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING AND HIS IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR CROSSWIND. A FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1992 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Benton, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N23506 · no longer on the register · serial 15068998
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF FOLLOWING A HARD TOUCH AND GO LANDING CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THE PREVIOUS TOUCH AND GO TO BE SIMILARLY HARD FOLLOWED BY A BOUNCE BACK INTO THE AIR AND A PERCEIVED DIFFICULTY WITH THE CROSS WIND. THIS WITNESS REPORTED THAT FOLLOWING THE LANDING THE AIRPLANE ASSUMED A STEEP NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, NEAR A STALL, PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE TREES TAIL FIRST. THE AIRPLANE CUT A SWATH APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS LONG THROUGH THE TREES PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT.
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: 20 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,917 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: John Wells Aviation Services
The flight
- Departed from: M99 at 11:15 pm
- Destination: M99
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from LIT, 65 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.