Cessna 150M accident near Levelland, Texas, May 1, 1998
On May 1, 1998 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N459U, was destroyed in an accident near Levelland, Texas (Levelland Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inaccurate weather evaluation, subsequent encounter with a severe downdraft, and failure (or inability) to compensate for the wind (downdraft) condition. The high density altitude was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1998 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Levelland, Texas · Levelland Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N459U · no longer on the register · serial 150-78407
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot reported that during an instructional flight, the airplane encountered a severe downdraft that it was unable to out climb, while in the traffic pattern. This occurred after the flight departed from runway 17 to practice takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern. The CFI reported that after turning crosswind, while the engine was still operating at full takeoff power, the airplane encountered a severe downdraft, which resulted in a rate of descent that exceeded 1,000 feet per minute. The CFI turned the airplane away from high tension power lines as he maneuvered the airplane towards a plowed field to the east-southeast of the airport. The CFI reduced power before the airplane impacted the ground in a landing attitude with the flaps retracted. The operator stated that virga and dust devils were observed in all quadrants near the time of the accident. An FAA inspector also observed signs of downdrafts and virga while en route to the accident site. On a previous flight, the operator experienced 'strong up and downdrafts due to the highly unstable weather pattern.' The density altitude was calculated by the investigator-in-charge to be 5,600 feet.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 262 as pilot in command; 135 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,042 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 27, 1998; 14 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: Q24 at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from LBB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.