Cessna 150M accident near Norman, Oklahoma, October 26, 1992
On October 26, 1992 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N8960U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norman, Oklahoma. 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY JUDGE HIS LEVEL OFF ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 1992 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Norman, Oklahoma · 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
- N8960U · no longer on the register · serial 15078030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL LOW PASSES OVER HIS GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE WITH HER AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WATCHING. ON THE LAST PASS, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN THE BACKYARD OF THE HOUSE, BOUNCED OVER THE HOUSE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND A SECOND TIME ABOUT 1/2 MILE BEYOND THE HOUSE. THE NOSE GEAR WAS FOUND IN THE BACKYARD AND THE WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD THE ENGINE ACCELERATE AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT. THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT HE WAS AT 3,000 FEET WHEN HE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE. HE ALSO STATED THAT SINCE HE WAS OVER AN AREA HE KNEW WELL, HE WAS AWARE OF SEVERAL GOOD FORCED LANDING AREAS AND THAT HIS FORCED LANDING GLIDE HAPPENED TO TERMINATE IN HIS GRANDMOTHER'S BACKYARD.
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: 50 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OUN at 3:30 pm
- Destination: OUN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from OKC, 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.
Other NTSB records under N8960U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.