Cessna 150M accident near Santa Rosa, California, May 18, 1985
On May 18, 1985 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704UV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Rosa, California (Unknown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- May 18, 1985 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California · Unknown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N704UV · no longer on the register · serial 15078893
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A SHORT LOCAL FLIGHT TO A COSTAL AREA AND RETURN. THE ENGINE LOST SOME POWER. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED BUT NO INCREASE IN POWER WAS NOTED. THE PLT THEN SET UP A GLIDE WITH INTENTIONS OF MAKING A LANDING ONTO THE BEACH AREA. AT ABOUT 500 FEET M.S.L. POWER WAS RESUMED AND THE PLT ELECTED TO CLIMB TO 2,000 FEET M.S.L. WITH THE INTENTIONS OF RETURNING TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. OVER RUGGED TREED TERRAIN A POWER LOSS WAS AGAIN NOTED. APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT HAD NO EFFECT UPON THE ENGINE. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE INTO TALL HAY. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CARBURETOR AIR HEAT CONTROL LEVER WAS BROKEN WITH THE CONTROL CABLE DISCONNECTED AND THE HOT AIR DOOR JAMMED IN THE COLD POSITION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,394 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 2,282 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,116 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1984; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STS Santa Rosa CA at 7:15 pm
- Destination: STS Santa Rosa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:45 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N704UV 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.