Cessna 150L accident near Carlsbad, California, February 23, 1991
On February 23, 1991 at about 3:12 am local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N18526, was destroyed in an accident near Carlsbad, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CFI/PIC'S INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AND THE CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF IMC CONDITIONS. THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT DUE TO HIGH LEVELS OF ANTIHISTAMINE AND THE LOW CEILING WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 1991 · about 3:12 am local time
- Place
- Carlsbad, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N18526 · no longer on the register · serial 15073915
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT WERE PLANNING TO CONDUCT TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT A NEARBY AIRPORT, ABOUT 15 MILES EAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THEY DID ONE TAKEOFF AND LANDING AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, BUT WERE DENIED ANY FURTHER OPERATIONS BECAUSE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE BELOW VFR MINIMUMS. THE CFI REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE AND DEPARTED THE CONTROL ZONE TO THE EAST. ABOUT 2 MINUTES AFTER REPORTING CLEAR OF THE CONTROL ZONE, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A HILL 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT ABOUT 925 FEET MSL IN A WINGS AND NOSE LEVEL ATTITUDE. A HELICOPTER PILOT OPERATING IN THE AREA REPORTED CEILINGS OF ABOUT 800 TO 850 FEET MSL. TOXICOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE URINE OF THE CFI REVEALED A HIGH LEVEL OF ANTIHISTAMINE.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,247 hours in all; 98 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 2,112 as pilot in command; 1,736 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,208 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 24, 1991; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Services INC.
The flight
- Destination: L39 Ramona CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:46 am from CRQ, 8 miles away
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.