Cessna 150F accident near Rockville, Indiana, June 13, 2016
On June 13, 2016 at about 1:57 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 150F, registered N102DK, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Rockville, Indiana (Butler Fld airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's use of an improper soft-field takeoff procedure, which resulted in the airplane having insufficient airspeed to climb out of ground effect and its subsequent impact with trees near the departure end of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2016 · about 1:57 pm local time
- Place
- Rockville, Indiana · Butler Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F, built 1966 · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N102DK · no longer on the register · serial 15063277
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and passenger were departing on a personal, cross-country flight from a grass runway. A witness saw the airplane lift off from the 2,081-ft-long- runway near midfield with a high pitch attitude, but he did not see the subsequent climbout or accident. The airplane impacted tall trees about 1,100 ft past the departure end of the runway. Given the witness's statement, the pilot likely did not lower the airplane's nose to accelerate while in ground effect, as recommended by the Federal Aviation Administration for a soft-field takeoff. Instead, the pilot likely attempted to climb the airplane at too high of a pitch angle and too low of an airspeed during the soft-field takeoff. Further, the airplane was near or above its maximum gross takeoff weight. The combination of these factors led to the airplane climbing out at an insufficient airspeed and its subsequent inability to adequately climb out of ground effect and clear the trees off the departure end of the runway. In addition, a light tailwind likely existed during the climb, which the pilot may not have noticed due to trees surrounding the runway and windsock.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,184 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 26, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-200A (piston); 3,602 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: IN46 Rockville IN at 1:57 pm
- Destination: EYE Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,081 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from KPRG, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.