Cessna 150F accident near Elkhart, Indiana, January 1, 1990
On January 1, 1990 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8575G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elkhart, Indiana (Mishawaka Pilot'S Club 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN WINTER OPERATIONS, THE ICY RUNWAY CONDITION, AND THE SNOWBANK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1990 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Elkhart, Indiana · Mishawaka Pilot'S Club · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8575G · registry record · serial 15062675
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT. HE AND THE PASSENGER, WHO WAS A STUDENT PILOT, RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS PLOWED TO A USABLE WIDTH OF ABOUT 25 FEET & WAS ICY. HE DESCRIBED THE APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN AS NORMAL AND SMOOTH. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT 'SLID TO THE RIGHT,' ENCOUNTERED A CRUSTY SNOWBANK AND NOSED OVER. NEITHER OF THE PILOTS HAD MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH WINTER FLIGHT OPERATIONS. THE PILOT STATED THAT, GIVEN 'HOW BAD THE RUNWAY WAS...' HE SHOULD NOT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON IT.
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: 63 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 36 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,172 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1989; 204 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vfr Fliers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: GSH Goshen IN at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,600 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from SBN, 12 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.