Cessna 150A accident near Tacoma, Washington, July 3, 1987
On July 3, 1987 at about 6:57 pm local time, a Cessna 150A, registered N9815J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tacoma, Washington (Tacoma Narrows 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
- July 3, 1987 · about 6:57 pm local time
- Place
- Tacoma, Washington · Tacoma Narrows · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150A · all 150As on the register
- Registration
- N9815J · no longer on the register · serial A1500624
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LNDG, THE PLT DECIDED TO GO AROUND. HE STATED THE ACFT FLOATED AS HE APPLIED PWR & THE PWR INCREASED TO ABOUT 2400 RPM. HE RAISED THE NOSE SLIGHTLY & RETRACTED THE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED FLAPS FROM 35 TO ZERO DEG. HE SAID HE ESTABLISHED A CLIMB TO ABOUT 30', THEN THE ACFT STALLED. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT DSCNDD ONTO THE RWY IN A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT HAD NOT RETURNED THE CARB HEAT TO THE COLD POSITION. THIS WAS HIS 1ST FLT IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT AFTER HAVING A CHECK-OUT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR (CFI). TWO SESSIONS & 2 HRS OF FLT TIME WERE USED TO CHECK THE PLT OUT IN THE CESSNA 150, BUT THE CFI DID NOT HAVE HIM MAKE A GO-AROUND DRG THE CHECK-OUT. THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN ONLY LOW WING ACFT WITH MANUALLY OPERATED FLAPS.
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: 60 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 37 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,550 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Slink, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.