# NTSB DEN89FA162: Cessna 150K, N6342G, Louisville, CO, July 9, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: July 8, 1989, 19:05 local (Jul 9, 1989, 01:05 UTC)
- Place: Louisville, CO
- Coordinates: 39.95948, -105.139465 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9595&lon=-105.1395&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 10, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17597
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN89FA162
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17597/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN89FA162

## Probable cause

INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) AND FLIGHT IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE CFI, HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION, AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, maneuvering
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - mountain wave (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - windshear (contributing factor)
  - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - flight into known adverse weather (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering

## Analysis

THE INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) HAD NOT FLOWN A CESSNA 150K BEFORE & WAS ON HIS 1ST INSTRUCTIONAL FLT AFTER RECEIPT OF HIS CFI CERTIFICATE. THE STUDENT PLT HAD 9 HRS OF DUAL FLT TIME. THEY DEPD JEFFCO ARPT (BJC) AT 1855 MDT. AT 1900 MDT, THE BJC WX WAS IN PART: 12,000' SCT, 14,000' BKN, VIS 70 MI, WND 300 DEG AT 14 GSTG 33 KTS, TEMP 97 DEG, VIRGA IN ALL QUADS & TSTM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. AFTER DEPG BJC, THE ACFT WAS SEEN ON AN APPARENT APCH TO A LARGE EMPTY PARKING LOT; THE APCH WAS THEN ABORTED. NO ENG PROBLEM WAS NOTED BY WITNESSES; THEY LAST SAW THE ACFT AS IT PASSED OVER THE CREST OF A HILL, DSCNDG ON A NORTHERLY HDG. IT CRASHED BYD THE CREST ON DSCNDG TRRN & WAS EXTENSIVELY DMGD. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT HAD ENCTRD MICROBURST ACTIVITY. APRX 15 MI SE AT STAPLETON INTL ARPT, MICROBURST ACTIVITY WAS RECORDED ON THE LOW LVL WND SHEAR ALERT (LLWAS) SYS. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 9500'.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6342G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6342G-1990-07-17), registration cancelled 1990-07-17, S/N 15071842, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150K
- Registry model: [Cessna 150K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150k) (registry code 2071822) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15071842
- Airframe hours: 8320
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Blue Ridge, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 8, 1989, 4 hours before
- Departed: BJC, BROOMFIELD, CO
- Airport: BJC, Jeffco

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; toxicology performed; flight hours: 316 total, 220 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 14 knots, gusting 33
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 14,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 97 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BJC, 5 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19890708020869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890708020869A), Jul 8, 1989: Cessna 150K, Louisville, CO, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Encountered severe downdrafts. Crashed in hilly area. Micoburst reported severe winds. CFI first dual no 150 time.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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