Cessna 150F accident near San Carlos, California, January 17, 1998
On January 17, 1998 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N7911F, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Carlos, California (San Carlos airport). 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 excessive airspeed, which resulted in a bounced landing, and, his failure to ensure that his seat locking pin was engaged, which caused his seat to move backwards during the touchdown and resulted in his loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 1998 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- San Carlos, California · San Carlos · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7911F · no longer on the register · serial 150-64011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was modified by STC to a conventional landing gear configuration. The pilot reported that he did not sufficiently reduce the airspeed during the approach and the aircraft 'bounced about 2-3 feet' on the touchdown. At that point, the seat slid backwards about 3 to 4 inches and the pilot stated that the abrupt seat movement caused his loss of control. The aircraft then ground looped, turned approximately 90 degrees, and came to a stop upright on the runway. Aircraft maintenance records disclosed that Airworthiness Directive 87-20-03R2, which pertains to the inspection of the seat tracks, had been complied with. The pilot reported to an FAA inspector that he had forgotten to engage the seat locking pin before the flight.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 770 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 740 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,694 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 25, 1997; 8 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: CMA Camarillo CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: SQL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N7911F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.