Cessna 150M accident near San Ysidro, California, February 29, 1992
On February 29, 1992 at about 4:56 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N45165, was destroyed in an accident near San Ysidro, California (Brown Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S IMPROPER SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT TO CORRECT THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS RESULTING IN AN EXCESSIVE ANGLE OF ATTACK AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 29, 1992 · about 4:56 pm local time
- Place
- San Ysidro, California · Brown Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N45165 · no longer on the register · serial 76763
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 150M COLLIDED WITH LEVEL TERRAIN AFTER EXPERIENCING AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE HAD COMPLETED A TOUCH AND GO LANDING AND TAKEOFF. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ON THE INITIAL CLIMB PHASE THE LOCAL CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CHANGE THE LANDING RUNWAY. THE FLIGHT WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN RIGHT PROCEED SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AND ENTER LEFT TRAFFIC TO LAND ON THE OPPOSITE RUNWAY. TOWER PERSONNEL OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE BETWEEN 200 - 300 FEET AGL WHEN IT ENTERED INTO A LEFT SPIN, DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED AND IMPACTED THE LEVEL TERRAIN NORTH OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. A PILOT WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE FIRST NOTICED THE AIRPLANE CLIMBING AT A UNUSUALLY NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE ABOUT 100 FT. AGL AND LEVEL OFF MOMENTARILY. ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER, AT ABOUT 150 FT. AGL, THE AIRPLANE AGAIN ENTERED INTO AN EXTREME NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, STALLED AND SPUN TO THE LEFT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,960 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 7,999 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from SDM, 1 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.