Cessna 150J accident near Wilton, North Dakota, June 20, 1993
On June 20, 1993 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N60454, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilton, North Dakota. It was a personal 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
FAILURE OF THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1993 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wilton, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N60454 · registry record · serial 15070319
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER DURING CRUISE AT 2000 FEET AGL. THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO A HIGHWAY, SAW TRAFFIC AND TURNED TO A FIELD. ON FINAL THE PILOT SAW A POWER LINE AND ASSESSED HE COULD NOT MANEUVER TO AVOID. DISASSEMBLY OF THE MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP SHOWED A SPLIT SEAL ON A DIAPHRAGM SHAFT. THE PILOT DID NOT RECALL SELECTING THE AUXILIARY PUMP AFTER ONSET OF THE POWER LOSS.
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: 131 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,123 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 16, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Butte ND at 7:00 pm
- Destination: BIS Bismark ND
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BIS, 25 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.