# NTSB OAK74AP019: Cessna 150L, N10851, Watsonville, CA, October 28, 1973

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: October 28, 1973
- Place: Watsonville, CA · WATSONVILLE, CA
- Location: 36.9236° N, 121.7724° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Watsonville, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9236&lon=-121.7724&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 4, 1973
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 188378
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK74AP019
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK74AP019

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3098  73/10/28   WATSONVILLE,CALIF   CESSNA 150L         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 52, 1540
        TIME - 1005                    N10851              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - WATSONVILLE
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          MODESTO,CALIF               WATSONVILLE,CALIF
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  IN FLIGHT: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION
           MISCELLANEOUS - SUICIDE
        REMARKS- FLEW UNDER PWR LINES INTO HILL SIDE. PLT LEFT 2 SUICIDE NOTES. HAD DEP MODESTO WITHOUT TWR CLNC.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N10851](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N10851-1973-12-05), registration cancelled 1973-12-05, S/N 15075088 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150L
- Registry model: [Cessna 150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (registry code 2071826) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Watsonville

## 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 19731028035339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19731028035339A), Oct 28, 1973: Cessna A150K, Watsonville, CA, Destroyed. Flew under pwr lines into hill side. Plt left 2 suicide notes. Had dep modesto without twr clnc.

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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