Cessna 150L accident near Matlock, Washington, January 24, 2013
On January 24, 2013 at about 11:45 pm local time, a 1972 Cessna 150L, registered N18690, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Matlock, Washington (Sanderson 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
A partial loss of engine power after a descent to a lower altitude due to the student pilot's delayed action in applying carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 2013 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Matlock, Washington · Sanderson Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L, built 1972 · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N18690 · no longer on the register · serial 15074044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that while he was on his first solo cross country flight, the weather started to deteriorate. He descended to a lower altitude and as he proceeded towards the nearest airport, he noticed that the vertical speed indicator indicated a descent of 700 feet per minute. The pilot applied full power and the airplane continued to descend. The pilot elected to land on a nearby road. During the descent he ensured that the throttle was at full power, the mixture was full rich, and the fuel selector was on both fuel tanks. While on a base leg, the pilot applied carburetor heat. When he turned final he observed that he was too high; he idled the power and slipped the airplane to lose altitude. During the landing flare the left wing struck a sign; the airplane departed the roadway and came to rest inverted about 20 feet from the roadway. A postaccident examination and run of the engine revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Weather at the time of the accident reported a temperature of 4 degrees C, and a dewpoint of 4 degrees C. When graphed on the Carburetor Icing Probability Chart provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, these weather conditions were conducive for serious icing at cruise power. It is likely that the pilot's delayed action in applying carburetor heat resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 79 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,574 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 2012
- 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: HQM Hoquiam WA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: PWT Bremerton WA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,200 ft; a few clouds at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from SHN, 11 miles away
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.