Cessna 150E accident near Sandy, Oregon, October 5, 1993
On October 5, 1993 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N3071J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sandy, Oregon (Sandy River 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING THE LANDING. THE LACK OF ADEQUATE RUNWAY ALIGNMENT MARKING WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 1993 · about 11:50 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Sandy, Oregon · Sandy River · cases near this airport · 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
- N3071J · registry record · serial 15061171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED LONG ON A GRASS AIRSTRIP WITH A WITH A GRAVEL ROAD THAT CROSSED THE STRIP. HE SAID THERE WAS A BERM OR SMALL DOWNHILL GRADE AT THE EDGE OF THE AIRSTRIP. ALSO, HE SAID THE AIRSTRIP WAS NOT WELL MARKED AND THAT IT WAS HARD TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE AIRSTRIP AND TAXIWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE 'DOWNHILL GRADE' AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO GROUND LOOP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,650 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 4,471 as pilot in command; 1,835 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1992; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TTD Troutdale OR at 10:45 pm
- Destination: TTD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,425 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:46 pm from TTD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3071J on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 150 7,993 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2G 21 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Sandy River Airport · nearest airport
- Portland-Troutdale Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,862 since 1982 · 277 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,012 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA94LA009.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.