Cessna 150L accident near California City, California, July 7, 1996
On July 7, 1996 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N332CS, was destroyed in an accident near California City, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an inadequate cruise altitude in an area of rising terrain and his failure to consider the effect of the high density altitude on the climb capability of the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1996 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- California City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N332CS · no longer on the register · serial 15075697
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was helping his passenger look for his lost truck in the desert and was flying about 500 feet agl over an area of gradually rising terrain. The pilot stated that he encountered a downdraft and he could not arrest the rate of descent so he began a turn toward down sloping terrain. The pilot reported that the downdraft became stronger in the turn and when ground impact was eminent he rolled the wings level as the wheels contacted the ground. After a short ground roll the aircraft contacted a large bush, which nosed the aircraft over onto it's back. Based on a temperature report from the closest aviation weather reporting station and the pilot's reported ground elevation, the density altitude was calculated at 6,500 feet.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,147 hours in all; 927 in this make and model; 143 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 2,750 as pilot in command; 1,535 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,079 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1996; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L71 at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from WJF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.