Cessna 150 accident near Eastport, Michigan, August 4, 2000
On August 4, 2000 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N6712F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eastport, Michigan (Torchport Airport). 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 maneuver, performed by the pilot, to avoid obstructions on highway US.31. Factors were the carburetor icing weather condition, no suitable terrain conditions, the ground terrain condition, and the impacted fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2000 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Eastport, Michigan · Torchport Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6712F · no longer on the register · serial 15063312
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Cessna 150 sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power. The pilot sustained no injuries. The engine was test run with a reassembled carburetor and repaired propeller. The run revealed that the engine idled normally and produced 2,100 RPM at full throttle. One magneto was "noted as being rough." At 1615, the temperature was 24 degrees C and the dew point was 12 degrees C. The temperature of 24 degrees C and dew point of 12 degrees C were applied to an icing chart. The intersection of those temperatures was in the "moderate icing-cruise power or serious icing - descent power" portion of the chart. The pilot stated, "Realizing I would not make airport property I deliberately altered my best glide and slipped away airspeed and deliberately put nose in dirt and brush, choosing to hit a wooden plank fence to prevent aircraft from entering busy highway (US.31)."
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 158 hours in all; 158 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 85 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,637 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2000; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D90 Mancelona MI at 7:45 pm
- Destination: 59M
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 129°F (54°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from ACB, 7 miles away
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.