FTW94LA286
1994-09-01 · MESQUITE, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport HQZ
Current FAA registration · N66322
- Make / Model
- CESSNA 150M
- Engine
- CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES (100 hp)
- Seats / Engines
- 2 seats · 1 engine
- Last airworthiness date
- 19740813
- ADS-B equipped
- Yes — Mode-S A8C217
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE UNFAVORABLE GUSTING WINDS. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Factual narrative
On September 1, 1994, at 1916 central daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N66322, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing at Mesquite, Texas. The solo student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The following is based on the pilot/operator report. The pilot was practicing touch and go landings when he observed a storm approaching from the south. He decided to make his next approach to a full stop. He described his final approach as "normal until the wind shifted suddenly" and "the plane reacted violently to the turbulence." The pilot said he was able to land but "the wind blew me off the runway" and the airplane nosed over. He said a flight instructor/witness had told him the "wind had changed suddenly while he was on final approach, and it appeared he had encountered wind shear." The abrupt weather changes were not forecasted. DURING A SERIES OF TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS THE STUDENT PILOT OBSERVED A STORM APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTH SO HE ELECTED TO MAKE THE NEXT APPROACH TO A FULL STOP. DURING FINAL APPROACH THE STUDENT PILOT HAD TROUBLE MAINTAINING CONTROL WHEN THE WIND 'SUDDENLY SHIFTED AND THE AIRPLANE REACTED VIOLENTLY TO THE TURBULENCE.' THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND BUT THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT/WITNESS CONFIRMED THE SUDDEN SHIFT IN THE WIND. THE APPROACHING STORM AND CHANGE IN WIND CONDITIONS WERE UNFORCASTED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1994_FTW94LA286.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (icing, wind shear, turbulence). All research papers
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Contractor Report (CR) An Examination of Aviation Accidents Associated with Turbulence, Wind Shear and Thunderstorm
The focal point of the study reported here was the definition and examination of turbulence, wind shear and thunderstorm in relation to aviation accidents.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2023 · Faculty research project Understanding the Coupled Interactions Between Hair-Like Micromechanoreceptors and Wall Turbulence
This research focuses on understanding the interactions between turbulent flows and long (high aspect ratio), flexible hair-like microstructures or micropillars inspired by those encountered in nature…
- NTSB Safety Studies 2020 · Safety study Risk Factors Associated With Weather-Related General Aviation Accidents (2003–2017)
Examines the leading causes of weather-related general aviation accidents over a 15-year period. Identifies continued-VFR-into-IMC, in-flight icing, and turbulence/wind shear as the dominant risk driv…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Preprint (Draft being sent to journal) Convectively Induced Turbulence Encountered During NASA's Fall-2000 Flight Experiments
Aircraft encounters with atmospheric turbulence are a leading cause of in-flight injuries aboard commercial airliners and cost the airlines millions of dollars each year.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Technical Memorandum (TM) Some aspects of wind shear in the upper atmosphere
Hydrodynamic turbulence and wind shear in upper atmosphere
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2019 · Journal article (IJAAA) Low Level Turbulence Detection For Airports
Abstract—— Low level wind shear and turbulence present a serious safety risk to aircraft during the approach, landing and take-off phases.