Cessna 150H accident near Anchorage, Alaska, March 3, 1996
On March 3, 1996 at about 11:06 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N22053, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). 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
loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1996 · about 11:06 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22053 · registry record · serial 15068031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The first and second pilots, both certificated flight instructors, were conducting touch-and-go landings on runway 24. Just after lift-off, with the second pilot flying, the engine suddenly lost power. The first pilot assumed control of the airplane and performed an emergency landing in the overrun area off the departure end of the runway. The airplane touched down, struck a snow berm, and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the nose gear, right wing tip and inboard end of the right wing. A subsequent inspection of the engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunction.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,411 hours in all; 440 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,323 as pilot in command; 498 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,882 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1995; 11 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: MRI at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:13 pm from MRI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.