Cessna 150H accident near Cumberland, Wisconsin, November 8, 1987
On November 8, 1987 at about 9:00 am local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N6501S, was destroyed in an accident near Cumberland, Wisconsin (Cumberland Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- November 8, 1987 · about 9:00 am local time
- Place
- Cumberland, Wisconsin · Cumberland Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N6501S · registry record · serial 15067301
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 0112 CST, THE PLT TELEPHONED THE FSS & REQUESTED A WX OUTLOOK FOR A 0600 CST DEPARTURE. THE WX BRIEFER ADZD THE WX TO THE SOUTH WAS DETERIORATING & THAT THE DESTN WOULD BE IFR BY ABOUT THE PLANNED DEPARTURE TIME. ALSO, THE BRIEFER SUGGESTED THE PLT COULD DELAY HIS FLT AS A SLOW IMPROVEMENT WAS EXPECTED. AT ABOUT 0130 TO 0200 CST, THE PLT TOOK OFF. DURING ARRIVAL, HE SAW THE ARPT BEACON & CONTD. HOWEVER, THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED ABOUT 1000' SOUTH OF RWY 9, NEAR THE DEP END. DUE TO HIS INJURIES, THE PLT COULD NOT REMEMBER THE OCCURRENCE. A POLICE OFFICER, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACDNT, SAID HE HAD TO LIMIT HIS SPEED TO APRX 30 TO 35 MPH DUE TO HVY GROUND FOG. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT DURING IMPACT THE NOSE & LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED; THE PROP, ENG COMPARTMENT, & BOTH WING TIPS WERE DAMAGED; & THE AFT FUSELAGE WAS BROKEN & BENT DOWNWARD BEHIND THE WINGS & CABIN AREA. ABOUT 45 MI SSE AT EAU CLAIRE, WI, THE 2251 CST WX WAS IN PART: 400' OBSCURED, VIS 1.5 MI WITH FOG & DRIZZLE.
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
- Flight time: 54 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 25 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIE Rice Lake WI at 6:30 am
- Destination: UBE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 am from EAU, 45 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.