Cessna 150L accident near La Center, Washington, July 16, 2004
On July 16, 2004 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N18542, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Center, Washington. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The private pilot receiving the flight review's failure to follow the Owner’s Manual's procedures for a go-around. Contributing factors were the flight instructor's delay in telling the private pilot to go-around, and the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2004 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- La Center, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N18542 · no longer on the register · serial 15073930
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was giving a private pilot a flight review. He said that the private pilot had set up the landing and had lowered the flaps to the full down position. The flight instructor reported that they were high and long for a landing. He told the private pilot to abort the landing. The private pilot first raised the flaps, and the airplane "immediately" mushed to a lower altitude. The flight instructor said that he applied full power and put the carburetor heat in [off]. He took control of the airplane and attempted to continue flight. The airplane struck some trees and impacted the ground. The private pilot receiving the flight review said that he thought he put the power in first and then put the carburetor heat in [off]. He had an estimated 200 hours of flight experience, and he said that he flies approximately 5 to 10 hours per year. The Owner's Manual states that a go-around is performed by: 1. Throttle -- Full "Open." 2. Carburetor Heat -- Cold. 3. Wing Flaps -- Retract to 20 degrees. 4. Upon reaching an airspeed of approximately 65 MPH, retract flaps slowly.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,848 hours in all; 580 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 1,764 as pilot in command; 1,220 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 18, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VUO Vancouver WA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: WA46 Daybreak Apt WA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from PDX, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.