Cessna 150G accident near Kenai, Alaska, August 25, 2007
On August 25, 2007 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150G, registered N2981S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenai, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive flap setting during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2007 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2981S · no longer on the register · serial 15066881
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot of the float-equipped airplane was taking off from a municipal float plane lake. He said during the takeoff roll the airplane did not accelerate as fast as normal, and once on step did not accelerate as anticipated. He aborted the takeoff, but the airplane would not stop in the remaining length of the lake. The pilot said he elected to hit the bank head-on rather than in a turn. The airplane traveled onshore 20-30 feet before nosing over. The pilot said when he exited the inverted airplane, the left float was draining what he thought was an excessive amount of water. He said he pumped the floats prior to departure, but felt that a leaking gasket may have filled the left float with water during the pretakeoff water taxi. An FAA air safety inspector who interviewed the pilot, said the pilot told him he had inadvertently left the flaps in the 40 degrees extended position during the takeoff roll. The airplane was not examined by the NTSB.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kenai AK at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.