Cessna 150 accident near Naples, Maine, March 2, 2013
On March 2, 2013 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N3438J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Naples, Maine. It was an instructional 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
The student pilot’s improper decision to land on a frozen lake.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2013 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Naples, Maine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 G · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N3438J · no longer on the register · serial 15066138
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
For the solo instructional flight, the student pilot had obtained an endorsement from his flight instructor to fly from the departure airport to the destination airport. During the flight, the student pilot decided to make an unauthorized stop and land on a frozen lake to visit a friend. Upon touchdown on the lake, which was covered in a layer of slush and snow, the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Decision related to condition
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 26 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,091 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IZG Fryeburg ME at 2:45 pm
- Destination: 63B Limginton ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from IZG, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.