Cessna 150F accident near Hillsdale, Michigan, January 19, 1999
On January 19, 1999 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8142F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsdale, Michigan (Hillsdale Municipal 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
the pilot's disregarding preparation for the flight. Factors were a frozen landing gear wheel, 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 19, 1999 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsdale, Michigan · Hillsdale Municipal · 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
- N8142F · no longer on the register · serial 15064242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On landing the airplane swerved to the left and impacted a snowbank. The pilot indicated that the left main landing gear was frozen with ice and slush accumulation in the main landing gear pant. He said that the accident could have been prevented by his removal of the wheel pants prior to operating in freezing conditions.
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: 198 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 31, 1998; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: USE Wauseon OH at 11:30 pm
- Destination: JYM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.