Cessna 150 accident near Lacrosse, Wisconsin, March 9, 2007
On March 9, 2007 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N7272S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lacrosse, Wisconsin. It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The dual student's failure to maintain the proper glidepath and clearance from terrain and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. A factor was the flight instructor's fatigue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 2007 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lacrosse, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N7272S · registry record · serial 15067972
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged when it struck a snowbank during final approach to landing. The certified flight instructor stated that the accident landing approach was normal until the airplane was on about 1/2 mile final where the student pilot extended the flaps to 40 degrees. The instructor stated that he then "fell asleep for 20 to 25 seconds." He stated that he opened his eyes just prior to the wheels hitting the snowbank. He stated that he did not have enough time to react to prevent the impact. The airplane's nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid to a stop. The flight instructor stated that his inability to remain awake was due to a lack of sleep the night before.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,100 hours in all; 8,500 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 14,700 as pilot in command; 14,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LSE Lacrosse WI at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.