Cessna 150J accident near Tumwater, Washington, April 8, 1992
On April 8, 1992 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N60850, was destroyed in an accident near Tumwater, Washington (Olympia 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 (STUDENT) PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1992 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Tumwater, Washington · Olympia · 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
- N60850 · no longer on the register · serial 150-70618
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON HER FIRST SOLO AND HAD JUST COMPLETED 2 SUCCESSFUL TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT THE OLYMPIA AIRPORT (OLM). ON THE THIRD APPROACH SHE WAS REPORTEDLY FAST (80MPH) AND THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED FOLLOWING TOUCHDOWN. UPON THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN THE NOSE GEAR GAVE WAY AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP ON RWY 35. THE PILOT HAS ACCRUED A TOTAL OF 17 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME ALL OF WHICH WAS INSTRUCTIONAL AND LOGGED WITHIN THE 30 DAYS PREVIOUS TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1992; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,419 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.