Cessna 150F accident near Denali, Alaska, October 7, 1992
On October 7, 1992 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8048F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denali, Alaska. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION BY THE STUDENT PILOT, THE STUDENT PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE ROADWAY LANDING. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER OBSCURATION, INADEQUATE STUDENT TRAINING IN CROSS COUNTRY PLANNING AND WEATHER AVOIDANCE BY THE INSTRUCTOR, THE TERRAIN (ROADWAY) SELECTED FOR FORCED LANDING, AND THE SNOWBANK BORDERING THE LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1992 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Denali, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8048F · registry record · serial 150-64148
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY ENCOUNTERED IMC WEATHER WITH VISIBILITY, OBSCURED WITH 1/4 MILE IN SNOW NEAR MOUNT MCKINLEY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD 2 HOURS FLIGHT TIME EXPERIENCE IN 90 DAYS AND THAT HE WAS FLYING ON A STUDENT CROSS COUNTRY SOLO ENDORSEMENT. HE SAID HIS PREFLIGHT PLANNING WAS A WEATHER BRIEFING AT GULKANA, BUT HE DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. FLIGHT VISIBILITY REDUCED AND THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AND PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A ROADWAY. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER IN A SNOW BANK.
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: student
- Flight time: 59 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 38 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1992; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GKN Gulkana AK at 1:30 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
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.
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.