Cessna 150H accident near Napa, California, January 21, 1989
On January 21, 1989 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N22988, was substantially damaged in an accident near Napa, California (Napa CO. 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 CFI'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF, LEADING TO A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1989 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Napa, California · Napa CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22988 · registry record · serial 15068664
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE STUDENT'S APPROACH RESULTED IN A TOUCHDOWN 300 FEET BEYOND THE THRESHOLD. THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD STUDENT TO GO-AROUND. FLAP RETRACTION AND POWER APPLICATION WERE DELAYED. WITH 350 FEET LEFT ON THE RUNWAY, THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE INSTRUCTOR TRIED TO EXIT THE RUNWAY VIA A TAXIWAY, HOWEVER THE AIRPLANE RAN INTO A DITCH. STUDENT HAD 34 HRS FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
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: 2,372 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days; 1,278 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,028 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18L, 2,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.