Cessna 150D accident near Inyokern, California, December 6, 1989
On December 6, 1989 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Cessna 150D, registered N4390U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Inyokern, California. 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 USE CARBURETOR HEAT WHEN CLIMATIC CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1989 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Inyokern, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150D · all 150Ds on the register
- Registration
- N4390U · no longer on the register · serial 15060390
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CONDUCTING AN AERIAL SURVEILLANCE OF HIKING TRAILS FROM ABOUT 200' AGL AND THAT HE WAS USING A SLOW CRUISE POWER SETTING OF 2000 RPM. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS 35 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND THE NEAREST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY LOCATED ABOUT 7 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THE DEW POINT AT 28 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. AFTER FLYING AT SLOW CRUISE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING IN CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
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: 631 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 595 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no 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-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Anderson Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: IYK at 3:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Observation at 4:00 pm from NID, 7 miles away
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.