Cessna 150L accident near Tacoma, Washington, January 13, 1992
On January 13, 1992 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N11632, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tacoma, Washington. It was a personal 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 IMPROPER USE OF REMEDIAL ACTION WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED CARBURETOR ICING. FACTORS INCLUDE CARBURETOR ICE AND CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1992 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Tacoma, Washington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N11632 · no longer on the register · serial 15075585
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT AFTER TWO CYLINDERS HAD BEEN REPLACED ON THE CESSNA 150L ENGINE, THE PILOT NOTED A SLIGHT DROP IN RPM. HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, THEN RETURNED IT TO THE COLD POSITION AFTER CONCLUDING THAT THE NORMAL POWER LOSS WAS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY A RISE IN POWER. WHEN THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER, HE ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING, AND CHANGED FIELDS AT THE LAST MOMENT, TO AVOID HITTING CATTLE. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AFTER LANDING IN THE SOFT FIELD, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING AN ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 901 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 813 as pilot in command; 518 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 1991; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRF Fort Lewis WA at 7:21 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from GRF, 7 miles away
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.
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.