Cessna 150L accident near Diamond Springs, California, January 26, 1988
On January 26, 1988 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N1706Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Diamond Springs, California (Placerville airport). 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).
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
- January 26, 1988 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Diamond Springs, California · Placerville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1706Q · no longer on the register · serial 150730060
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLT, APPROACHING THE AIRPORT THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD WHERE DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED. THE ACFT HAD BEEN OPERATING IN THE RANGE OF SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 534 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 534 as pilot in command; 30 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,075 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 1988; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kingdon Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: O20 Lodi CA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: PVF Placerville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots, gusting 11
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from MHR, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N1706Q 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.