Cessna 150 accident near Palmer, Alaska, July 13, 1992
On July 13, 1992 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna 150, registered N61272, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT STALLING OF THE AIRPLANE AND AN INADEQUATE ALTITUDE IN WHICH HE COULD RECOVER. FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE WATER IN THE FUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1992 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- 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
THE PILOT WAS TAKING THE AIRPLANE TO MEL WICK'S AIRSTRIP TO RECEIVE AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. WITNESSES STATED THEY SAW THE AIRPLANE MAKE LOW PASSES DOWN THE AIRSTRIP AND HEARD A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE SHOWED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE; HOWEVER, THERE WAS A TEASPOON OF WATER FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL.
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: 153 hours in all; 134 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 87 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1900
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z16 Wasilla AK at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:49 pm from PAQ, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.