Cessna 150L accident near Palmyra, New York, August 30, 1990
On August 30, 1990 at about 11:46 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N17109, was destroyed in an accident near Palmyra, New York (Palmyra airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING APPROACH RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE STALLING AND DESCENDING UNCONTROLLED TO GROUND IMPACT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1990 · about 11:46 pm local time
- Place
- Palmyra, New York · Palmyra · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N17109 · no longer on the register · serial 15073629
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DOING SOLO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED AND THE PILOT ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTION TO REMAIN IN THE PATTERN. WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL ON BASE LEG ON A HEADING OF 320 DEGREES. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING OVER TREES ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE STALL, BANK LEFT AND DIVE 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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6G3 Palmyra NY
- Destination: 6G3
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:46 pm
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 N17109 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.