Cessna 150M accident near Watertown, New York, July 30, 1982
On July 30, 1982 at about 2:24 am local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N9169U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watertown, New York (Watertown International 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1982 · about 2:24 am local time
- Place
- Watertown, New York · Watertown International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9169U · registry record · serial 150-78120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE ON A NIGHT FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A POWER LINE WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. THE POWER LINE FAILED AND THE PILOT CONTINUED THE LANDING, BUT THE PROPELLER, SPINNER, NOSE COWLING, LIFT STRUT, AND WING WERE DAMAGED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED ALL USABLE FUEL HAD BEEN EXHAUSTED AFTER FLYING ONLY 3.4 HRS AFTER THE FUEL TANKS HAD BEEN FILLED.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER during cruise - normal
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT during approach - vfr pattern - final approach
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea, none, APLN
- Flight time: 5,642 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 21 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,117 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mclister NY at 7:25 pm
- Destination: Ellis WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 162°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC82DA174.