Cessna 150M accident near Carbondale, Illinois, December 7, 1985
On December 7, 1985 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N62FS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carbondale, Illinois (Southern Illinois airport). It was an instructional 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 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
- December 7, 1985 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carbondale, Illinois · Southern Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N62FS · no longer on the register · serial 15079123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT FLYING THE PLANE, AFTER HE TOUCHED DOWN ON HIS MAIN WHEELS HE LOWERED THE NOSE AND HE HEARD A CRACK. THE NOSE WHEEL THEN COLLAPSED ANDTHE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR OF THE AIRCRAFT NO PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS COULD BE FOUND IN THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED DAMAGED ENGINE MOUNTS, DEFORMATION OF THE COCKPIT FLOOR BENEATH THE RUDDER PEDALS, DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR ATTACHMENT BOX AND WRINKLED SKIN BEHIND THE REAR WINDOWS ON THE SIDES OF THE TAILCONE.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,590 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 6, 1985; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.