Cessna 150M accident near Mt Home Village, California, April 17, 1994
On April 17, 1994 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N9276U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt Home Village, California (Redlands Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons. The failure of the student pilot to properly plan his airport traffic pattern to reach the runway or other suitable forced landing area in the event of a loss of engine power was a factor in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1994 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mt Home Village, California · Redlands Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9276U · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND COLLIDED WITH ROCKS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN ENGINE POWER WHILE TURNING FROM THE DOWNWIND LEG TO THE BASE LEG AFTER REALIZING HIS ALTITUDE WAS TOO LOW. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING IN RESPONSE TO THE STUDENT PILOT'S THROTTLE APPLICATION. THE AIRPLANE OPERATOR SUSPECTED THE CARBURETOR VENTURI WAS ICED, CHOKING AIR FLOW, AND THE APPLICATION OF THROTTLE ENRICHED THE FUEL AIR MIXTURE TO A POINT WHERE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. IMPACT DAMAGE PRECLUDED THE OPERATIONAL TESTING OF THE AIRPLANE'S CARBURETOR HEAT SYSTEM. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT AT THE CLOSEST REPORTING WEATHER OBSERVATION FACILITY WAS 68 AND 47 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY. REVIEW OF A CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART REVEALED THAT THE LISTED TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT IS IN AN AREA OF THE GRAPH ANNOTATED 'MODERATE ICING IN CRUISE POWER, SERIOUS ICING WITH GLIDE POWER.'
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
- Flight time: 23 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Tech Academy
The flight
- Departed from: L12 Redlands CA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: L12 CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,505 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Observation at 3:46 pm from BUO, 15 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.