Cessna 150L accident near Tulare, California, May 23, 2012
On May 23, 2012 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N11428, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Tulare, California (Mefford Field 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
A partial loss of engine power, which was likely the result of carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2012 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Tulare, California · Mefford Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N11428 · no longer on the register · serial 15075412
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was maneuvering the airplane at an altitude of about 1,300 feet above ground level when the engine started to sputter. He configured the airplane for a forced landing in an alfalfa field. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered a water-filled ditch and nosed over, coming to rest inverted and sustaining damage to the tail section. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. In ambient conditions similar to those reported near the accident site, a pilot could expect serious carburetor icing while operating at various power settings.
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 engine power (partial) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 81 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,238 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 12, 2011; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TLR Tulare CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: TLR Tulare CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from VIS, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.