Cessna 150H accident near Dyersville, Iowa, August 6, 2002
On August 6, 2002 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N6995S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dyersville, Iowa (Dyersville Area 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 pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. A related factor was the bean field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2002 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dyersville, Iowa · Dyersville Area Airport · 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
- N6995S · registry record · serial 15067695
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing into a bean field 3/4 mile west of the destination airport. The pilot reported departing on a local flight with approximately 10 gallons of usable fuel. The pilot flew a wide downwind and then a wide base leg to reduce extra speed and altitude. The engine lost power while the airplane was on a two mile final and approximately 500-1,000 feet above ground level. The total unusable fuel for the airplane is 3.5 gallons. Examination of the wreckage revealed approximately one quart of total fuel aboard.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,065 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 158 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 964 as pilot in command; 724 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 23, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,626 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 2001; 191 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IA80 Dyersville IA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,400 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from DBQ, 22 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.