Cessna 150M accident near Burley, Idaho, February 18, 1995
On February 18, 1995 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N45325, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burley, Idaho (Burley Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE DUAL STUDENT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1995 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Burley, Idaho · Burley Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N45325 · no longer on the register · serial 15076843
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT AND THE INSTRUCTOR WERE TAKING OFF ON A FLIGHT THAT WAS TO HAVE INCLUDED AIR WORK AND OTHER TRAINING. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE CESSNA 150M INITIATE A STEEP LEFT TURN BETWEEN 200 TO 400 FEET AGL AFTER TAKEOFF, FOLLOWED BY THE NOSE PITCHING DOWN STEEPLY. THE WITNESSES NOTED THAT THE NOSE STARTED UP IN A PARTIAL RECOVERY BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN AN OPEN FIELD. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION, AND AUTOGAS WAS FOUND IN BOTH FUEL TANKS.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,780 hours in all; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,162 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1994; 155 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BYI at 6:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,955 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from BYI, 1 miles away
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.
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.