Cessna 150 accident near Watersmeet, Michigan, July 13, 1994
On July 13, 1994 at about 10:45 am local time, a Cessna 150, registered N6579G, was destroyed in an accident near Watersmeet, Michigan (Northwoods Conference Ctr airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, and his inadequate preflight planning and preparation. Factors associated with the accident were the fog and the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1994 · about 10:45 am local time
- Place
- Watersmeet, Michigan · Northwoods Conference Ctr · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6579G · no longer on the register · serial 15072079
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATES THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, HE OBSERVED THE SKY TO BE CLEAR, VISIBILITY WAS GOOD, AND THERE WAS ALMOST NO WIND. HE DID OBSERVE FOR OVER TWO LAKES WHICH ARE LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY, BUT BELIEVED THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKEOFF, CLIMB, AND REMAIN CLEAR OF THE EFFECTED AREA. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED THE FOG, WHICH HAD ROLLED OVER THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED INTO A DESCENDING LEFT TURN AND IMPACTED TREES. NO PREIMPACT ABNORMALITIES WERE REPORTED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 411 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 360 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,140 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1994; 2 hours since
- 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, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
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.