Cessna 150L accident near Watertown, New York, October 29, 1982
On October 29, 1982 at about 11:07 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N1277Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watertown, New York. It was an instructional 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 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1982 · about 11:07 pm local time
- Place
- Watertown, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1277Q · no longer on the register · serial 15072577
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE TWO TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS AT THE WATERTOWN, NEW YORK INTL AIRPORT. HE THEN RETURNED TO HIS PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN THE LOCAL AREA. WHILE EXECUTING A NIGHT APPROACH TO THE PRIVATE STRIP HE GOT TOO LOW. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ADDED FULL POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB, BUT WAS UNABLE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE TOP OF TREES, THEN NOSED INTO THE GROUND.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 85 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Watertown NY at 6:00 pm
- Destination: Watertown NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.