Cessna 150J accident near Fort Ord, California, April 29, 1984
On April 29, 1984 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N5559G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Ord, California. 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
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1984 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Ord, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N5559G · no longer on the register · serial 15071059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE PLT NOTED THAT THE LEFT FUEL GAGE INDICATED A LITTLE LESS THAN 1/2 FULL & THE RIGHT GAGE SHOWED APRX 1/2 FULL. HE STATED THAT A 'VISUAL INSPECTION SHOWED ABOUT THE SAME, AS MUCH AS I COULD SEE.' THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE ENG SUDDENLY LOST PWR ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN WHERE THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE ROLL-OUT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE POWER LOSS, HE HAD CHECKED THE FUEL GAGES & THEY INDICATED ABOUT 1/4 FULL. AUTOMOTIVE FUEL WAS BEING USED & AN STC HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ABOUT 2 1/2 GALS OF FUEL WERE DRAINED FROM THE ACFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 483 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 338 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1983; 37 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: APC Napa CA at 10:45 pm
- Destination: MRY Monterey CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N5559G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.