Cessna 150D accident near Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin, January 6, 1991
On January 6, 1991 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Cessna 150D, registered N4286U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin. It was an instructional 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. A FACTOR WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1991 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150D · all 150Ds on the register
- Registration
- N4286U · no longer on the register · serial 15060286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AREA CONTAINING SCATTERED BRUSH AND TREES 0.25 MILES FROM END OF RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES DURING FORCED LANDING. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL IN EITHER WING TANK OR CARBURETOR. THIS WAS THE FIRST TAKEOFF OF THE THIRD FLIGHT OF THE DAY IN THIS AIRCRAFT BY THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS GIVING THE OWNER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND, THEIR FIRST INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,900 hours in all; 4,300 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 4,700 as pilot in command; 4,380 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- 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 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from MSN, 24 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.