Cessna 150J accident near Talkeentna, Alaska, August 22, 1994
On August 22, 1994 at about 9:16 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N61272, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeentna, Alaska. 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 UNSUITABLE TAKEOFF AREA SELECTED. A FACTOR WAS THE SOFT SPOT IN THE AIRSTRIP'S SURFACE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1994 · about 9:16 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js 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 ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF ON A 950 FOOT GRAVEL AIRSTRIP. HE ABORTED HIS TAKE OFF APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY DOWN THE AIRSTRIP. DURING THE ABORTED TAKE OFF ROLL, THE NOSE WHEEL HIT A SOFT SPOT ON THE AIRSTRIP AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN.
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: 148 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 66 as pilot in command; 72 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,608 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 1994; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PAQ Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 950 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
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.