Cessna 150 accident near Birchwood, Alaska, November 7, 1989
On November 7, 1989 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N714MS, 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. RELATED FACTORS WERE: DARK NIGHT, SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, INADEQUATE SNOW REMOVAL FROM THE RUNWAY BY PERSONNEL (WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR SNOW REMOVAL), AND THE SNOWBANK (BERM).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 7, 1989 · about 10:05 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
- N714MS · no longer on the register · serial 15079286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT BEFORE HE STARTED HIS TAKEOFF, HE COULD SEE RWY LIGHTS AT THE FAR END OF THE RWY. HE ALIGNED THE ACFT FOR TAKEOFF BY REFERENCING THE SNOW BERMS (BESIDE THE RWY) & BY SIGHTING DOWN THE RWY. THE TAKEOFF ROLL SEEMED NORMAL UNTIL HE ROTATED THE ACFT FOR LIFT-OFF. AS THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, IT STRUCK THE SNOW BERM ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY & NOSED OVER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ARPT PSNL HAD PLOWED THE RIGHT BERM AT A 20 DEG ANGLE AWAY FROM CENTERLINE OF THE RWY TO A POINT WHERE IT WAS ALLOWED TO ANGLE BACK ABRUPTLY TOWARD THE RUNWAY. THE ACDNT OCCURRED WHERE THE RIGHT BERM ANGLED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 296 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 272 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z15 at 10:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,010 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°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.