Cessna 150L accident near Mesa, Arizona, March 18, 2008
On March 18, 2008 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N19521, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2008 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N19521 · no longer on the register · serial 15074466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost partial power during the initial take off climb. The certified flight instructor (CFI) applied full carburetor heat and full rich mixture. The airplane did not produce enough power to maintain level flight, and the CFI landed the airplane straight ahead, colliding with trees. An inspection revealed a rubber-like material in the crankcase split line. The mixture control bottomed out before reaching the full idle stop. The spark plugs had dark sooty deposits, and the cylinder heads, piston tops, and valves all had slightly above-normal deposits. The engine ran without anomalies at different ranges of power during postaccident testing. The number one bottom spark plug, which was connected to the left magneto, did not produce a spark when the propeller was rotated by hand. The spark plug was dark and coated in oil. A compression test disclosed that the number four cylinder compression ring gaps were in the same location on the piston, causing blow-by and pressurization of the crankcase. There were also several cylinder base studs that were of an improper size.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 645 hours in all; 139 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 402 as pilot in command; 336 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 87 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,655 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 0-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Arizona Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22L, 3,799 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from FFZ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.