Cessna 150G accident near Mesa, Arizona, July 6, 2011
On July 6, 2011 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150G, registered N2878S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the go around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2011 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2878S · no longer on the register · serial 15066778
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, she was conducting touch-and-go pattern operations during her second supervised solo. During the second touch-and-go, she touched down on the runway to the right of centerline after a normal approach. She then added full power, began retracting the flaps, and tapped the left rudder to correct the airplane back to centerline. Suddenly, the airplane swerved to the left and the pilot added right rudder pedal but the airplane did not respond. The pilot then added brakes in an attempt to stop the airplane but it continued to veer off the runway to the left. The airplane subsequently impacted a raised portion of the taxiway and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the nose gear steering linkages and brakes appeared normal.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,793 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 2011; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rinnah LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KFFZ Mesa AZ
- Destination: KFFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04L, 3,799 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 238° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from KFFZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.