Cessna 150F accident near Norman, Oklahoma, April 21, 1997
On April 21, 1997 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N3101X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norman, Oklahoma (David Perry airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1997 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Norman, Oklahoma · David Perry · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3101X · registry record · serial 15064501
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was involved in a hard landing, and according to the pilot while over the touchdown zone in ground effect, a sudden and dramatic increase in sink rate occurred. The pilot increased the throttle, 'but due to the proximity to the runway even though the sink rate appeared to decrease, the aircraft contacted the runway on the landing gear.'
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: 95 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,037 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 12, 1997; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OK14 at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,006 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from OKC, 10 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.