Cessna 150L accident near Freeland, Washington, September 29, 1998
On September 29, 1998 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N5867C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Freeland, Washington. 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
Failure of the number two intake valve rocker arm in fatigue, and overload of the nose landing gear assembly. Factors include a ditch encountered during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1998 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Freeland, Washington · map
- 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
- N5867C · registry record · serial 15072277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while practicing 'S' turns at 2,500 feet above ground, the engine shuddered and then stopped. After an unsuccessful restart, the student maneuvered to a nearby field, and executed a forced landing during which the nose gear folded as the aircraft passed across an irrigation ditch. The aircraft then nosed over. During examination of the engine, the number two cylinder rocker arm for the intake valve was observed to be broken at its hinge point. Inspection of the fracture surface revealed fatigue striations originating in the vicinity of the oil lubrication port on the rocker arm. No mechanical damage or microstructural abnormalities were found associated with the area of apparent fatigue cracking.
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: 44 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,235 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 14, 1998; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northway Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PAE Everett WA at 10:24 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PAE, 9 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.