Cessna 150 accident near Beekmantown, New York, October 31, 1991
On October 31, 1991 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N5889E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beekmantown, New York (Mtn. View Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INADVERTENT STALL DUE TO THE PILOT'S DECISION TO PREMATURELY RETRACT THE WING FLAPS. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1991 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Beekmantown, New York · Mtn. View Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N5889E · no longer on the register · serial 17389
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A TAKEOFF USING 2 NOTCHES OF FLAPS. HE RETRACTED ONE NOTCH AND THE AIRPLANE SETTLED. HE REEXTENDED THE FLAPS AND AFTER LEAVING GROUND EFFECT, THE LEFT WING STALLED. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB OVER OBSTACLES AND ENTERED A SECOND STALL, THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT AND DESCENDED INTO TREES.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from PBG, 12 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.