Cessna 150H accident near Morrilton, Arkansas, June 9, 2005
On June 9, 2005 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N6973S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morrilton, Arkansas (Morrilton Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain proper alignment with the runway during landing. A contributing factor was the dark night lighting condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2005 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Morrilton, Arkansas · Morrilton Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N6973S · no longer on the register · serial 15067673
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 80-hour pilot reported that during final approach on a night flight, the airplane "experienced a gust of wind" and drifted to the left of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane landed on the grass area adjacent to the runway, bounced, and became airborne. The pilot stated that because he was not sure of the remaining distance to the tree line on the departure end of the runway, he decided to perform a soft field landing on the grass adjacent to the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a drainage ditch, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. A weather reporting station 20 nautical miles west of the accident site reported 37 minutes prior to the accident wind calm and clear sky. The pilot added that other than the "wind gust" experienced on final approach, the wind was calm at the time of the accident. According to the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department, three percent the moons visible disc was illuminated.
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: 80 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Morrilton AR at 3:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from RUE, 20 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.