Cessna 150F accident near Santa Maria, California, November 19, 1988
On November 19, 1988 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N6883F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Maria, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- November 19, 1988 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Maria, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6883F · no longer on the register · serial 15063483
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PLEASURE FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING FLOWN ALONG A RIDGELINE WHILE THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE LOOKING FOR AN OLD AIRPLANE WRECK. THE PILOT WAS DISTRACTED AND DID NOT NOTICE THE AIRPLANE WAS ENTERING A CANYON AND RISING TERRAIN. WHEN THE PILOTS ATTENTION WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE FLIGHT, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO MANEUVER OUT OF THE CANYON NOR WAS THERE ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO CLIMB OVER THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT MAINTAINED A STRAIGHT HEADING AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND RISING TERRAIN. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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: 531 hours in all; 262 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 472 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,288 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 22, 1988; 88 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: SMX Santa Maria CA at 10:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
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.