Cessna 150 accident near Tanana, Alaska, September 6, 2003
On September 6, 2003 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N6767F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tanana, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff after encountering muddy terrain during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a runway overrun and collision with trees. A factor in the accident was the muddy runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2003 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tanana, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6767F · no longer on the register · serial 15063367
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot reported he was attempting to takeoff in his airplane from his private grass/turf airstrip. During the takeoff roll, he said the airplane encountered a muddy section of runway and slowed down. He elected to continue the takeoff roll. The airplane became airborne for a short period, settled onto the end of the runway, and then ran off the end of the runway and collided with trees. The airplane received structural damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
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
Crew member
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 325 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,010 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1999; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tanana AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.