- Date
- November 13, 1993, 14:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place
- Las Vegas, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9231UCessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931113052259A
- Case key
- 28598
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 student pilot's failure to execute a go-around, premature flare, and improper use of the flight controls. Factors related to this accident are the student pilot's lack of total experience and diverted attention.
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
While completing his third supervised solo landing, the student pilot observed an airplane on the opposite end of the runway preparing to takeoff. The student pilot failed to execute a go-around, flared too soon, and lost control upon landing. The airplane veered to the left and exited the runway.
Factual narrative
On November 13, 1993, at 1440 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 150, N9231U, lost control and veered off the left side of runway 18 at the Las Vegas-Henderson Sky Harbor Airport (L15), Las Vegas, Nevada. The noncertificated student pilot was conducting his first supervised solo visual flight rules instructional flight. The airplane, operated by ProFlight, Las Vegas, was substantially damaged. The noncertificated student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The flight originated at L15 at 1400 hours.
The student pilot was completing the third landing of his first supervised solo flight. The airplane departed the left side of runway 18 about 800 feet from the threshold.
The operator submitted the required Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, on December 12, 1994. The student pilot stated that while landing on runway 18 an airplane was in position to takeoff from runway 36. This situation, together with two other helicopters flying low at the west side of the airport, frightened him. The student pilot said that he "...flared too soon and overcorrected." The airplane settled in the desert.
The operator indicated in the accident report that the airplane did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9231U
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 78181
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Proflight
- Registered owner
- Hossler, James D.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
- Airport
- L15 · Henderson Sky Harbor, runway 18, 5,000 × 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
- 43
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15 total · 15 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.