Cessna 150 accident near New Berlin, Wisconsin, May 30, 2008
On May 30, 2008 at about 4:34 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N3130V, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near New Berlin, Wisconsin. It was a ferry 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 loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to use the carburetor heat during the flight. Contributing factors included the carburetor icing conditions and the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2008 · about 4:34 pm local time
- Place
- New Berlin, Wisconsin · 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
- N3130V · no longer on the register · serial 15076394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he topped off the fuel tanks and did a complete preflight and run-up. The airplane was operating "fine." He requested a climb to 3,000 feet above mean sea level (msl). He reported, "I got up to 1,800 to 2,000' msl and without warning the engine stopped." He checked the fuel selector ON, pushed mixture and throttle full forward, checked the master switch ON, checked the ignition switch on BOTH, and pulled the carburetor heat, but without success. He declared a MAYDAY and executed a forced landing to a golf course. During the landing roll, the airplane hit trees that resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The inspection of the airplane found no deficiencies that would have precluded normal engine operation. The local surface weather observation reported a temperature of 19 degrees Celsius (C), and the dew point of 17 degrees C. Mist was reported in the area. With the reported temperature/dew point spread, the Transport Canada carburetor icing chart indicated the potential for moderate icing at cruise power or serious icing at descent power. The pilot reported that he was aware of the potential for carburetor icing, but he chose not to use the carburetor heat during the flight prior to the loss of engine power. The inspection of the maintenance logbooks revealed that the last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on June 10, 2005. Neither the airplane owner nor the mechanic informed the pilot that the airplane needed an annual maintenance inspection or a ferry permit before the flight could be conducted.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 498 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,284 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2005; 11 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKE Milwaukee WI at 4:30 pm
- Destination: UES Waukesha WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 17,000 ft; a few clouds at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from MKE, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.