Cessna 150H accident near Bay City, Michigan, August 30, 2008
On August 30, 2008 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N23461, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Bay City, Michigan (James Clements Municipal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during descent due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the collapse of the nose landing gear due to rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2008 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bay City, Michigan · James Clements Municipal · 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
- N23461 · registry record · serial 15068964
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the engine "stumbled and quit" about 3 miles from the destination airport. He was able to momentarily restart the engine before the engine lost complete power. The pilot performed a forced landing into a cornfield and the nose gear collapsed when it encountered rough terrain. A post accident inspection did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a loss of engine power. The left and right fuel tanks contained approximately 3.9 gallons and 2.6 gallons, respectively. The temperature and dew point in the vicinity of the accident site were 24 degrees and 14 degrees Celsius, respectively. Data indicated the possibility of moderate carburetor icing at cruise power and serious icing at descent power under those conditions. The pilot reported that his most recent flight review and FAA medical examination were completed in October 2003 and April 2004, respectively. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed during October 2005.
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 (descent)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Fuel starvation during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 160 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 7, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,830.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6MI1 Millington MI at 4:00 pm
- Destination: K3CM Bay City MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KMBS, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI08CA275.