Cessna 150K accident near South Saint Paul, Minnesota, September 17, 2023
On September 17, 2023 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1970 Cessna 150K, registered N6398G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near South Saint Paul, Minnesota (South St. Paul Municipal Airpo airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadvertent brake application during takeoff which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper seat position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2023 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- South Saint Paul, Minnesota · South St. Paul Municipal Airpo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150K, built 1970 · all 150Ks on the register
- Registration
- N6398G · registry record · serial 150-71898
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was performing touch-and-go landings. After the first landing and during the takeoff roll, he experienced difficulty maintaining directional control of the airplane and aborted the takeoff. The pilot taxied the airplane back to the runway and departed again. After landing, the pilot applied full power for takeoff and the airplane veered right of the runway centerline. He applied brakes as the airplane exited the runway and impacted a taxiway sign. The airplane came to rest in a grassy area adjacent to the runway and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot noted that he positioned his seat too far forward which prevented him from differentiating between rudder and brake inputs. He further stated that if he had used an additional seat cushion, he could have positioned the pilot’s seat further aft and prevented the inadvertent brake inputs.
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 defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 354.6 hours in all; 7.7 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 11, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,786.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 5,747 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,200 ft; scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from KSGS
Weather report (METAR): KSGS 171755Z AUTO 33003KT 10SM SCT031 BKN042 BKN048 19/10 A3011 RMK AO2 T01930102 10200 20107
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N6398G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN23LA420.