Cessna 150 accident near Willow, Alaska, April 6, 2007
On April 6, 2007 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N6363G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willow, Alaska (Willow airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while taxiing, which resulted in the airplane contacting a snow berm and nosing down. Factors associated with the accident were the snow and ice covered runway, and excessive taxispeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2007 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Willow, Alaska · Willow · 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
- N6363G · registry record · serial 15071863
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot had just completed three full-stop landings under Title 14, CFR Part 91, and was taxiing to the ramp to pick up his instructor when he lost directional control of the airplane. He reported that he applied too much power, and was taxiing too fast on the ice and snow covered runway. He said when he tried to turn toward the ramp the airplane started to slide to the left, and his attempt to control the airplane failed. He reported that the airplane contacted a snow berm, and the airplane nosed down, sustaining damage to both wings and the fuselage.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 12 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAUO Willow AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; a few clouds
- Temperature: 32°F (0°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.