Cessna 150L accident near Nogales, Arizona, November 10, 2001
On November 10, 2001 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N10680, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nogales, Arizona (Nogales International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain directional control while landing in a cross wind. He attempted a go-around, but inadvertently stalled the airplane, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 2001 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Nogales, Arizona · Nogales International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N10680 · no longer on the register · serial 15074969
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with the runway during an attempted go-around. The wind was from 120 degrees at 9 knots. While on downwind, the pilot was aware that the wind was pushing him toward the runway and he had to correct more than he expected to stay parallel to the runway. Once established on final, he lowered the flaps to 40 degrees, maintained 65 mph, and crabbed into the wind. The approach was stable until the pilot flared. He felt he must have taken some of his correction out, because just prior to touch down the airplane moved to the right side of the runway. The left main landing gear touched down near the edge of the runway. The pilot felt that if he continued the landing attempt, the right main and nose landing gear would be off the runway in dirt, and he would be in position to collide with the lights along the runway. He elected to attempt a go-around. He added full power and the nose of the airplane pitched up, and the airplane bounced about 40 feet back into the air. The airplane stalled, turned to the left, and struck the ground in a nose down, left wing low attitude near midfield. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage.
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: 130 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 31, 2001; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alpha Air
The flight
- Departed from: RYN Tucson AZ at 5:00 pm
- Destination: OLS Nogales AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 7,199 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from OLS
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.