Cessna 150 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, January 17, 1982
On January 17, 1982 at about 2:12 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N63516, was destroyed in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 1982 · about 2:12 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N63516 · no longer on the register · serial 77364
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A FOG BANK NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHILE THE STUDENT WAS AT THE CONTROLS. THE STUDENT RELEASED THE YOKE AND THOUGHT THE INSTRUCTOR HAD ASSUMED CONTROL. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE WAS NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION AND DID NOT TAKE CONTROL UNTIL THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED. INITIALLY THE INSTRUCTOR FELT SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. AS THE NOSE STARTED DOWN DURING RECOVERY, THE INSTRUCTOR OBTAINED VISUAL REFERENCES WHICH HELPED. WHILE RECOVERING, THE PLANE STRUCK THE GABLES ON THE END OF A MOTEL AND CAME TO REST ON THE ROOF OF AN ADJOINING STRUCTURE.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,370 hours in all; 1,063 in this make and model; 183 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,260 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,916 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Tech Flight Service, Wc
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 10:11 am
- Destination: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:17 am from MRI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.