Cessna 150 accident near Sharon, Ohio, August 16, 1991
On August 16, 1991 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N19171, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sharon, Ohio. 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 IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON ROUGH TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE OF THE STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1991 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sharon, Ohio
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N19171 · no longer on the register · serial 15074211
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CRUISING AT 2500 FEET, WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS USED AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. THE STUDENT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER WHEN SOFT TERRAIN WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE WAS REPORTED AS 83 DEGREES F, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 60 DEGREES F. THE FAA CHART, 'CONDITIONS FAVORING CARB ICE FORMATION,' SHOWS THE PROBABILITY OF 'SERIOUS ICING AT CRUISE POWER' WITH THESE TEMPERATURES.
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
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skypark, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: I56 Wadsworth OH at 4:00 pm
- Destination: YN6 Youngstown OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°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.