Cessna 150F accident near Anchorage, Alaska, July 20, 2000
On July 20, 2000 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N6296R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot-in-command (CFI) to adequately supervise the instructional flight. Factors in the accident were an inadvertent spin entry by the student, and the pilot-in-command's failure to utilize adequate altitude for a stall demonstration.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2000 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6296R · registry record · serial 15061596
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the first pilot, a flight instructor and owner of the accident airplane, he was providing flight instruction to his daughter in a float-equipped Cessna 150F airplane. He was demonstrating an approach to landing stall about 2,000 feet mean sea level. The airplane was configured with 20 degrees of flaps. When the airplane stalled, the student pilot cross-controlled the airplane. The left wing dropped and the airplane entered an uncommanded, inverted left spin. The instructor was able to recover the airplane to an upright attitude about 300 feet above the ground by adding engine power. The airplane continued to descend in a nose down attitude during the recovery, and struck the ground. The airplane had numerous modifications, including a 160 horsepower engine. The airplane had fixed floats installed, and qualified for the float installation when the previous owner/mechanic designated that the airplane be operated as a Cessna 150G. Changes from wheels to floats resulted in several configuration changes including propellers, and propeller spacers, larger wheels and tires, and the use of a heavier than normal nose wheel strut assembly. As a floatplane, the airplane was required to be operated in the normal category, with intentional spins prohibited. No data was available to the pilot about the consequences, or recovery techniques for an inadvertent spin. A center of gravity calculation of the accident flight placed the airplane within weight and balance limits. The presence of an over-the-counter antihistamine, and a prescription anti-depression medication, were found in the pilot's toxicological samples.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 14,500 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,057 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 2000; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PALH Anchorage AK at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 296° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PAN, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.