Cessna 150M accident near Mesa, Arizona, March 29, 1989
On March 29, 1989 at about 2:06 am local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N7592U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mesa, Arizona. 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
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION AT DUSK, THE TRANSMISSION LINE, AND THE OBSTRUCTIONS (TREE & FENCE) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1989 · about 2:06 am local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N7592U · registry record · serial 15077759
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT RPRTD THAT DURING FLT, SOMETHING SUDDENLY SMASHED THE WINDSHIELD. HE SAID HE TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT, THEN REGAINED IT AT LOW ALTITUDE. HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING ALTITUDE & OPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A PICNIC AREA. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE & A FENCE POST. AN INSPN OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A BIRD STRIKE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS AN INDENTATION THAT RAN ALONE THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WIND & ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO RPRTD TRANSMISSION WIRE DAMAGE, BUT WITNESSES IN THE AREA RPRTD SEEING AN ACFT FLYING AT LOW LEVEL.
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: 244 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,568 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 30 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: FFZ Mesa AZ at 1:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.