Cessna 150J accident near South St. Paul, Minnesota, December 26, 2022
On December 26, 2022 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 150J, registered N51115, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near South St. Paul, Minnesota (Fleming Field). 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the take-off roll with a snow and ice covered runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 2022 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- South St. Paul, Minnesota · Fleming Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J, built 1968 · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N51115 · registry record · serial 15069777
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he took off from Runway 34 and intended to practice take-offs and landings. After landing the airplane without incident, he raised the flaps and added full power to take off again; however, the airplane veered to the left during the take-off roll. The student pilot added right rudder to keep the airplane on centerline but was unsuccessful. Once airborne, the left wing struck a snowbank on the side of the runway, which caused the airplane to pivot left. The nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest inverted, nose first in the snowbank. The outboard side of the right wing sustained substantial damage to the skin, ribs, and spars. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, Runway 34 was covered in ice and snow.
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 takeoff defining event
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 41 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,574 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 15, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 2,577 hours total
- Operator: Condor Aviation LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point -4°F (-20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KSGS
Weather report (METAR): KSGS 261735Z AUTO 36003KT 10SM CLR M13/M20 A3035 RMK AO2 T11331196
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 30, 2023. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 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.