Cessna 150H accident near Wisconsin Rapid, Wisconsin, February 21, 2000
On February 21, 2000 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N22017, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wisconsin Rapid, Wisconsin (Alexander Field). It was an instructional 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. Factors were the pilot's lack of total experience and the snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2000 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wisconsin Rapid, Wisconsin · Alexander Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22017 · no longer on the register · serial 60613
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane exited the left side of the runway during takeoff and contacted a snowbank. The student pilot was performing solo takeoff and landing practice during the accident flight. In his written statement, the pilot said that the accident takeoff was his third takeoff. He said that when he was near takeoff speed the, '...tail end of [the] airplane started to fishtail badly....' He said that he attempted to correct and subsequently exited the left side of the runway and hit a snowbank. Postaccident examination of the aircraft failed to reveal any anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition.
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: student
- Flight time: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISW at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from ISW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.