Cessna 150M accident near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, July 31, 2012
On July 31, 2012 at about 4:58 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N45080, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin (Blackhawk Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to land on a runway with significant overgrown vegetation along the edges and his landing, which was left of the centerline.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2012 · about 4:58 pm local time
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Wisconsin · Blackhawk Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N45080 · registry record · serial 15076726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After an uneventful local flight, the pilot decided to land on runway 4 since he had not landed on that runway in a long time. After a normal approach, the pilot landed the airplane just slightly left of the centerline but did not think that it was overly to the left. As the airplane coasted to taxi speed, the left wing contacted high vegetation and overgrown brush overhanging the left side of the runway. The airplane then veered to the left off the side of the runway and collided into brush and small trees, resulting in substantial damage to the leading edges of both wings. High vegetation, up to 12 feet tall, was found by the runway and was overhanging the west side of the runway by 2 to 4 feet. High vegetation was also overhanging the east side of the runway by 1 to 3 feet. The published runway 4 width is 57 feet, but the usable width for landing was narrowed by about 7 feet due to the overgrown vegetation. The pilot stated that he should have landed on runway 27, knowing that it was clear of vegetation on both sides. He said that he was not aware of just how much brush had overgrown the sides of runway 4 since the last time he landed there a few years ago. The pilot stated that if he had made a more perfect landing on the centerline and rolled out on centerline, the wingtip of the airplane would not have contacted the overgrown brush. Currently, the published information for the airfield includes information stating that brush and high vegetation surround the edges of runways 4/22.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 390 hours in all; 242 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 26, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,715 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 2012; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 87Y Cottage Grove WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 2,814 ft by 57 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from MSN, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on July 22, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo 1 Damage to Airplane | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 2 View of Runway with Overgrown Vegetation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 3 Closeup View of Overgrown Vegetation on the Side of the Runway | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Blackhawk Airfield Information | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.