Cessna 150E accident near Hillsboro, Oregon, March 16, 1989
On March 16, 1989 at about 8:02 am local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N3015J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsboro, Oregon (Hillsboro 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 IMPROPER LANDING FLARE PERFORMED BY AN UNQUALIFIED PERSON AT THE CONTROLS WHO HAD NO FLIGHT TRAINING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1989 · about 8:02 am local time
- Place
- Hillsboro, Oregon · Hillsboro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N3015J · registry record · serial 15061115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A NON-PILOT TOOK THE ACFT FOR NIGHT JOYRIDE AND CRASHED ON THE LANDING ATTEMPT. THE ACFT WAS FOUND ON THE RWY THE NEXT DAY. TWO TEENAGERS CONFESSED TO MAKING THE FLT. THE OWNER DELCARED THAT THE ACFT WAS TAKEN FROM A LOCKED HANGER; HOWEVER, HE STATED THAT THE KEYS TO THE ACFT WERE IN THE IGNITION. THE OWNER STATED THAT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN FLOWN INTO THE GROUND WITHOUT A PROPER FLARE TECHNIQUE.
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
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,803 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1988; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°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.