Cessna 150M accident near Rancho Santa Fe, California, August 29, 1982
On August 29, 1982 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N888GS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rancho Santa Fe, California. It was an instructional 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1982 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rancho Santa Fe, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N888GS · registry record · serial 15076308
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE STUDENT WAS RECOVERING FROM A SLIP MANEUVER AT ABOUT 1,500 FT POWER WAS APPLIED. THE ENG INITIALLY PRODUCED ABOUT 2500 RPM, THEN DECREASED TO ABOUT 2000 RPM. APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT DID NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT OF THE ENG RPM.RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE TO ABOUT 1200 RPM. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL & ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A RIVERBED. DURING THE APPROACHTHE RIGHT WING STRUCK A POWERLINE. THE CFI WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT & LANDING WAS MADE ON THE SOFT, SANDY RIVERBED. THE NOSE WHEEL SEPARATED AS IT DUG INTO THE GROUND & THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK.
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) - NONMECHANICAL during maneuvering
- FORCED LANDING during approach - vfr pattern - final approach
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT during approach - vfr pattern - final approach
- NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED during landing - flare/touchdown
- NOSE OVER during landing - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, ASE, IAIR, APLN
- Flight time: 1,369 hours in all; 890 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 1,329 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,125 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A48 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AI San Diego CA at 1:10 pm
- Destination: AI San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 172°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX82FA320.