Cessna 150 accident near Jackson, Michigan, June 18, 1988
On June 18, 1988, a Cessna 150, registered N5810E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1988
- Place
- Jackson, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N5810E · registry record · serial 17310
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A ONE HOUR X-COUNTRY FLT, THE PLT NOTICED THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE DROPPING AS HE NEARED HIS DESTINATION. THE PLT MADE A DESCENT AND REPORTED A THREE MILE FINAL TO LAND. THE ENG QUIT WHEN THE PLT PUT THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO RICH. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENG TO NO AVAIL AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A DRIED UP SWAMP WHERE THE ACFT NOSED OVER. CARBURETOR ICE PROBABILITY CHARTS SHOW THAT CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE TO THE FORMATION OF MODERATE CARB ICE DURING CRUISE AND SERIOUS CARB ICE DURING GLIDE. TEMP WAS 76 DEGS/ DEWPOINT WAS 51 DEGS. THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY DURING POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 485 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,043 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 20, 1987; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBN South Bend IN at 1:00 pm
- Destination: JXN Jackson MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from JXN, 3 miles away
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.