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LAX03CA299

2003-09-22 · Reedley, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport O32

Current FAA registration · N3093X

Make / Model
CESSNA 150F
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A34398

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

the pilot's failure to maintain the proper glide path and airspeed during final, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush.

Factual narrative

On September 22, 2003, about 1630 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150F, N3093X, collided with a runway end identifier light after landing short of the runway at Reedley Municipal (O32), Reedley, California. The airplane was being operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported in a written statement that he was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. While on final during the fifth landing, the airplane's sink rate became excessive. He pitched the nose up and added power. The airspeed decreased rapidly so he applied full power and nose down pitch attitude. Shortly thereafter, the airplane impacted the threshold area and collided with a light. The airplane collided with a runway end identifier light after landing short of the runway, which resulted in a nose gear collapse and a propeller strike. During final, the sink rate became excessive and the pilot added power and decreased the pitch attitude on the airplane. The airspeed decreased rapidly so he applied full power and nose down pitch attitude. The airplane settled toward the runway in a level attitude and touched down left of the runway centerline, about 25 feet short of the runway. During the landing roll, the nose gear impacted a runway end identifier light. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2003_LAX03CA299.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (icing, stall). All research papers