Cessna 150 accident near Birchwood, Alaska, March 29, 1990
On March 29, 1990 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N61272, was substantially damaged in an accident near Birchwood, Alaska (Birchwood airport). 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
CARBURETOR ICE DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, UNFAVORABLE WIND, AND THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1990 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Birchwood, Alaska · Birchwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N61272 · no longer on the register · serial 15070933
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO PRACTICE A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING, THE PLT NOTICED AN INCREASE IN THE ACFT'S RATE OF DSCNT. HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO CORRECT THE RATE OF DSCNT, BUT THE ENG DID NOT RESPOND. HE THEN APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, BUT THERE WAS STILL NO RESPONSE. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RWY ON SNW COVERED TERRAIN IN VARIABLE WIND CONDS & THENOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN GEAR HIT THE TOP OF THE PERIMETER FENCE, WHICH RESULTED IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FENCE. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED NO MECHANICAL REASON FOR A MALFUNCTION. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE, WHICH ALLOWED FOR THE USE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. IT WAS BEING OPERATED WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUEL, WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 40 & 37 DEG, RESPECTIVELY, WHICH WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICE. THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE HAD THROTTLED BACK TO 2100 RPM ON DOWNWIND, THEN ON BASE LEG, HE THROTTLED BACK TO 1600 RPM & APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT.
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
- Flight time: 114 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 70 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 1989; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z15 at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N61272 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.