Cessna 150H accident near Montevideo, Minnesota, June 2, 1985
On June 2, 1985 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N6458S, was destroyed in an accident near Montevideo, Minnesota (Montevideo-Chippewa airport). It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 1985 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Montevideo, Minnesota · Montevideo-Chippewa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N6458S · no longer on the register · serial 15068258
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THE ACFT TO A POSSIBLE BUYER. WHILE TAKING OFF, THE ENG LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT LIFTED OFF AT ABOUT MID-FIELD. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE ACFT & LAND ON A CROSS-RUNWAY. HOWEVER, DUE TO HIS LOW SPEED & LOW ALT, HE WAS UNABLE TO ALIGN THE ACFT WITH THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS LANDED IN GRASS WHERE IT SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER. THE ENG HAD ONLY 1 HR OF FLT TIME SINCE IT HAD BEEN OVERHAULED. DURING THE OVERHAUL, A FACET AEROSPACE CARBURETOR FLOAT KIT, NUMBER 666-915, HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE MARVEL SCHEBLER CARBURETOR BY THE PLT/OWNER, WHO WAS ALSO AN A&P MECHANIC. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER A1-84A WAS NOT COMPLIED WITH, THE FLOAT DROP WAS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY, FUEL FLOW WAS LOW, THE THROTTLE SHAFT WAS LOOSE, THE ACCELERATOR PUMP WAS DRY ROTTED & CRACKED, & THE BUTTERFLY VALVE WAS INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,132 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,862 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from RWF, 25 miles away
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.