Cessna 150F accident near Payson, Arizona, October 2, 1988
On October 2, 1988 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8681S, was destroyed in an accident near Payson, Arizona (Red Creek Private airport). 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
- October 2, 1988 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Payson, Arizona · Red Creek Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8681S · no longer on the register · serial 15061981
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH AN OBSTACLE DURING A GO-AROUND FROM THE RED CREEK PRIVATE DIRT STRIP. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NEVER LANDED AT THE 2000 FT, DIRT STRIP AND HAD NO OTHER SHORT OR SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF/LANDING PRACTICE BEYOND HIS INSTRUCTION AT AN 8000 FT PAVED RUNWAY AND PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT AN ABANDONED DIRT STRIP IN THE DESERT FOUR DAYS PRIOR TO THE PLANNED FLIGHT. THE PLT GOT TOO LOW ON HIS APRCH. HE COMPENSATED FOR HIS LOW APRCH BY INCREASING HIS ANGLE OF ATTACK. WHEN THE PLT REALIZED THE AIRCRAFT ATTITUDE WAS TOO HIGH AND HIS AIRSPEED TOO LOW, HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND. HE ADDED FULL POWER, MADE A SHALLOW BANK TO THE LEFT, AND RETRACTED 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS. THE A/C LOST THE REMAINING ALT AND COLLIDED WITH A STEEL FENCE POST. THE A/C NOSED OVER ABOUT 30 FT TO THE LEFT OF THE LANDING STRIP AND ABOUT 500 FT PAST THE THRESHOLD.
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: 94 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 58 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 41,214 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 20, 1988; 996 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: GYR Goodyear AZ at 4:12 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:00 am
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.