Cessna 150L accident near Traverse City, Michigan, January 7, 1990
On January 7, 1990 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N6763G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Traverse City, Michigan. 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1990 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Traverse City, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N6763G · registry record · serial 15072263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED ONCE, THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. WHEN ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE FAILED, HE EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING IN A SNOW-COVERED FIELD. DURING POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT, INVESTIGATORS FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF USABLE FUEL ON BOARD. INVESTIGATORS DRAINED THE FUEL SYSTEM, OBTAINING A TOTAL OF 1.5 GALLONS OF FUEL (ONE GALLON FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK, AND 1/2 GALLON FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK). THE MANUFACTURER CONSIDERED THE LAST 1.75 GALLONS IN EACH FUEL TANK TO BE UNUSABLE FUEL. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FUEL IN THE FUEL LINES OR AT THE CARBURETOR; THE FUEL TANKS/SYSTEM WAS NOT COMPROMISED DURING THE GROUND IMPACT SEQUENCE.
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
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 2, 1989; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Romeo Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: D98 Romeo MI at 3:35 pm
- Destination: TVC Traverse City MI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from TVC, 5 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.
Other NTSB records under N6763G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.