Cessna 150H accident near Yuba City, California, April 18, 1999
On April 18, 1999 at about 4:14 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N22710, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yuba City, California. 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
A total loss of engine power resulting from the fatigue failure of a cylinder's exhaust valve. A contributing factor was the uneven terrain at the forced landing site. The reason for the fatigue could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1999 · about 4:14 pm local time
- Place
- Yuba City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22710 · no longer on the register · serial 15068464
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While cruising, the pilot felt a 'bump,' and the engine began losing power. The pilot applied carburetor heat and adjusted the mixture control, but this action had no effect. The engine progressively lost all power until the propeller eventually just windmilled. The pilot made a forced landing in a wheat field. During rollout, the airplane encountered uneven terrain and nosed over. The pilot owned and operated the airplane. He reported that the airframe's total time was about 8,798.6 hours. The engine had been operated for 1,818.9 hours since being overhauled, and 133.4 hours since its last inspection. An examination of the engine revealed its No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve was fatigued and broken. No other engine related malfunctions were observed.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,275 hours in all; 1,205 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 10,275 as pilot in command; 613 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,799 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 1998; 133 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O52 CA at 3:56 pm
- Destination: 0Q5 Shelter Cove CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from BAB, 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.