- Date
- December 14, 1990, 10:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fresno, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4651XCessna 150G
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901214055619A
- Case key
- 27077
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilots intentional flight into known adverse weather conditions and his failure to maintain control of the aircraft. Factors in the accident were: the foggy weather conditions; spatial disorientation; and the pilot's over confidence in his own personal ability.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The non-instrument rated pilot was attempting to fly under visual flight rules. The weather, at the airport of departure, was below minimums required for flight under visual rules. The aircraft was reported missing by family members the day after the aircraft took off. After a lengthy search by civil air patrol personnel, the aircraft's wreckage was found in a pond near the airport of departure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4651X
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15064701
- Engine
- Continental O200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Owens, Bruce H.
- Departed
- Q60
- Destination
- HWD · Hayward, CA
- Airport
- Q60 · Sierra Sky Park, runway 30, 2,920 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 25 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- FAT, 10 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.