Cessna 150 accident near Paradise, California, September 23, 1989
On September 23, 1989 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N6215G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paradise, California (Paradise airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS AND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ADVERSE WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 1989 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Paradise, California · Paradise · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6215G · registry record · serial 1507171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH THE PLT ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WINDS AND A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT. THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT & COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN ABOUT 200 YARDS SHORT OF THE RWY. THE 116-HOUR PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT PRIOR TO LANDING HE WAS AWARE THAT A 90 DEGREE, 15 KNOT CROSS WIND EXISTED.
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: 116 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Willows CA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Q88 Paradise CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,000 ft by 21 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.