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CEN23LA416

2023-09-21 · Montrose, Colorado, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MTJ

Current FAA registration · N5460Q

Make / Model
CESSNA 150L
Engine
CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES (100 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19720331
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A6F09D

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a gusting quartering headwind.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, during the third stop-and-go landing, the airplane touched down and veered to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder; however, the pilot encountered an unexpected wind gust, and the airplane weather vaned to the right. The airplane ground looped to the right, partially collapsing the left main landing gear, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage structure. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 17 with wind from 200° at 12 knots and gusting to 21 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_CEN23LA416.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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