Cessna 150J accident near Garner, Iowa, January 8, 2003
On January 8, 2003 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N60834, was substantially damaged in an accident near Garner, Iowa. 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 students pilots improper in-flight fuel planning resulting in exhaustion of the fuel supply, and the collapse of the nose gear during the forced landing. Factors were unsuitable landing are encountered by the pilot, the plowed field and the fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2003 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Garner, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N60834 · no longer on the register · serial 15070609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over during a forced landing to a plowed field. The pilot reported the engine had stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot stated that he could have watched his fuel consumption better.
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: 28 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2001; 300 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: FFL Fairfield IA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: SBU Blue Earth MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 23 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from MCW
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.