Cessna 150L accident near Sacramento, California, November 10, 1988
On November 10, 1988, a Cessna 150L, registered N17293, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sacramento, California (Natomas Fld airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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
- November 10, 1988
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Natomas Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N17293 · registry record · serial 15073706
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS ON HIS 3RD INSTRUCTIONAL SOLO FLT. DRG AN APCH TO LAND, THE ACFT WAS SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT OF THE RWY. THE STUDENT TRIED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, THEN DECIDED THE ACFT WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE GROUND. HE ADDED FULL PWR TO GO AROUND. HOWEVER, THE ACFT BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT & WAS NOT GAINING ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT DRIFTED OFF THE RWY & COLLIDED WITH AN UNOCCUPIED AIRPLANE. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE PILOT NOTED THE THROTTLE WAS IN THE FULL FWD PSN & THE FLAPS WERE FULLY EXTENDED. THERE WAS NO RPRTD MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO THE ACDNT.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 61 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,859 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 21, 1988; 118 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sacramento Aero Service
The flight
- Departed from: Q96
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,700 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 11,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX89LA043.