Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 150G N3220J

30 October 1990 · Marathon, Florida, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 30 October 1990 at about 13:05 local time, a Cessna 150G registered N3220J was involved in an accident near Marathon, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 13:05
Classification
Accident
Location
Marathon, Florida, United States
Nearest airport
Marathon (MTH)
Coordinates
24.7104, -81.0800
Aircraft
Cessna 150G
Registration
N3220J
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
MIA91FA017

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 1 1 0 0

Probable cause

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE CENTER ROCKER BOSS ON THE #3 CYLINDER WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE ON A X-WIND AFTER A TOUGH-&-GO LNDG, A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG POWER OCCURRED. THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TOOK CTL & MNVRD THE ACFT TO LAND. THE ACFT WAS NOT ALIGNED WITH THE RWY, SO THE CFI ELECTED TO LAND IN A GRASS AREA. HE STATED THAT WHILE DSCNDG THRU ABOUT 100' AGL, 'THE YOKE FELL BACKWARD' INTO HIS LAP. HE BELIEVED THAT THE ELEVATOR CABLE HAD FAILED, WHICH ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CRASH. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, A STEEP TURN WAS MADE IN AN ATMT TO ALIGN THE ACFT FOR LANDING; THEN THE ACFT LEVELED OFF AT ABOUT 30' AGL & WAS AT A SLOW SPEED. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A STEEP DSCNT & CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH THE FLT CTL SYS. A METALLURGICAL EXAM SHOWED THAT THE ELEVATOR UP CABLE HAD FAILED UNDER A TENSILE LOAD WHILE BEING BENT AROUND AN EDGE OR CORNER. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE CENTER ROCKER BOSS ON THE #3 CYLINDER HAD FAILED IN FATIGUE. THE FATIGUE HAD ORIGINATED WHERE NUMBERS WERE EMBOSSED INTO THE BOSS DRG MANUFACTURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 150 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 Oct 1990 Cessna 150
N68350
Riverside, California, United States PAR Flight No injuries -
16 Sep 1990 Cessna 150J
N41GF
Grantham, North Carolina, United States Grantham Aero Club No injuries -
18 Jul 1990 Cessna 150M
N714JS
New Knoxville, Ohio, United States - No injuries -
19 Oct 1990 Cessna 150E
N6203R
S. Lake Tahoe, California, United States
no coordinates
Kern, Gunther No injuries -
21 Oct 1990 Cessna 150H
N22863
San Carlos, California, United States Ramos, Frank M. No injuries -
3 Nov 1990 Cessna 150G
N4687X
Columbia, California, United States Tommy J. RAU No injuries -

All 10,427 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
6 Jan 1990 Lockheed L1329
N96GS
Miami, Florida, United States
no coordinates
Tokoph, David Fatal 1
12 Dec 1990 Cessna 172G
N5780R
Jacksonville, Florida, United States Weeks, Milton D. Serious injuries -
6 Jan 1990 Piper PA-30
N7030Y
Tallahassee, Florida, United States Calley, Nicholas O. Serious injuries -
12 Dec 1990 Piper PA-28-151
N4480F
Jupiter, Florida, United States Zimmerman, Barry L. No injuries -
20 Jan 1990 Piper J-3
N88125
Clewiston, Florida, United States Nesbitt, James K. Fatal 2
15 Dec 1990 Beechcraft F33A
N81562
Lakeland, Florida, United States Globe Aero Ltd. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States