Cessna 150 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, February 8, 1992
On February 8, 1992 at about 7:08 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N8620S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks International 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
THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE ALTITUDE NECESSARY FOR TERRAIN CLEARANCE ON THE FINAL APPROACH. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE SNOWBANK AND THE DUSK LIGHTING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 1992 · about 7:08 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks International · 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
- N8620S · registry record · serial 15061920
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, DURING DUSK LIGHTING CONDITIONS, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT SHE WAS 'CUTTING THE RUNWAY TOO CLOSE, AND THAT BY TRYING TO LAND ON OR NEAR THE NUMBERS I DIDN'T PROVIDE A WIDE ENOUGH SAFETY MARGIN'.
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: 137 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,799 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 28, 1992; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:14 pm from FAI, 1 miles away
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 N8620S 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.