Cessna 150H accident near Vacaville, California, August 24, 2022
On August 24, 2022 at about 6:18 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 150H, registered N22507, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Vacaville, California (Nut Tree Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power due to a stuck exhaust valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2022 · about 6:18 pm local time
- Place
- Vacaville, California · Nut Tree Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H, built 1968 · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22507 · no longer on the register · serial 15068324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a personal flight. During the initial climb after takeoff, the engine lost partial power, and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a nearby field; during the landing roll, the airplane impacted uneven terrain and came to rest upright, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve exhibited signatures consistent with a stuck valve, including a buildup of carbon deposits, and the exhaust valve could only be moved out of the valve guide with a significant amount of force. No additional evidence indicated any pre-existing mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Thus, the stuck exhaust valve likely caused the partial loss of engine power.
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 initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 973 hours in all; 370 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 114 in the last 30 days; 891 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 28, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,976.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 11, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors 0-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MCC Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,700 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KVCB, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KVCB 241753Z AUTO 17003KT 10SM CLR 29/14 A2980 RMK AO2 SLP091 T02940144 10294 20172 51004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 15, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Airframe and Engine Examination Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.