Cessna 150J accident near Mulino, Oregon, May 1, 1991
On May 1, 1991 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N50488, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mulino, Oregon (Portland Mulino airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION. FACTORS INCLUDE NOSE-GEAR VIBRATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1991 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mulino, Oregon · Portland Mulino · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N50488 · registry record · serial 15069340
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT ENCOUTERED NOSEWHEEL SHIMMY DURING TAKEOFF WHILE DOING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT LIFTED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE SURFACE AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: student
- Flight time: 33 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mulino Air Center
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA91LA096.