Cessna 150H accident near Sparta, Wisconsin, September 27, 1987
On September 27, 1987 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N6469S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sparta, Wisconsin (Pvt Strip 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
- September 27, 1987 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sparta, Wisconsin · Pvt Strip · 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
- N6469S · registry record · serial 15067269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS TAKING OFF ON HIS PVT STRIP IN A PREVAILING 12 KT X-WIND THAT WAS VRBL & BLOWING FM A 'LULL' TO 18 KTS. HE SAID THE STRIP WAS LOCATED NEAR AN L-SHAPED RIDGE WHICH ATTENUATED THE GENERAL WIND FLOW. ALSO, HE SAID THE 1900' SOD STRIP SLOPED DOWNHILL TWD THE NE & HAD A SLIGHT RIDGE NR THE MIDPOINT. AS THE PLT WAS TAKING OFF, THE ACFT INADVER- TENTLY BECAME AIRBORNE AS IT CROSSED OVER THE RIDGE IN THE RWY. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ACFT ENCTRD A GUST & ROLLED TO THE LEFT. THE PLT CORRECTED THE ROLL WITH AILERON & RUDDER. HOWEVER, SINCE THE ACFT WAS IN TURBULENT CONDS AT MIN SPEED, HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. HE SAID THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 300' FM THE DEPARTURE END & WENT OFF THE STRIP. RPRTDLY, IT HAD SLOWED TO A FAST TAXI SPEED WHEN IT HIT A DITCH & NOSED OVER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 1,638 hours in all; 909 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 1,459 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,319 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1987; 81 hours since
- 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 4, 1,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from LSE, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.