Cessna 150J accident near Brookline, New Hampshire, December 5, 2014
On December 5, 2014 at about 4:10 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 150J, registered N50709, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Brookline, New Hampshire (Brookline airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a wire during an off-airport landing following a partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 2014 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Brookline, New Hampshire · Brookline · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J, built 1968 · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N50709 · no longer on the register · serial 15069499
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that the preflight inspection and engine run-up revealed no anomalies and that he subsequently departed for a solo cross-country flight. About 30 minutes into the flight, the student pilot observed low cloud ceilings and decided to return to his departure airport. Two minutes after turning the airplane back toward the airport, the engine power dropped below 2,000 rpm. The student pilot applied carburetor heat, but the engine power did not increase, so he proceeded to a nearby airport to initiate an emergency landing. However, the engine continued to lose rpm during the approach, so he decided to land in a small field. During the landing, the airplane impacted a wire and then the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. Although the left magneto exhibited severe wear on the cam and burnt points, a single magneto failure would not have caused the loss of engine power. No other anomalies with the engine were found that would have precluded normal operation. Although atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were favorable for the accumulation of carburetor icing at glide and cruise power, it could not be determined if carburetor ice was present when the loss of partial power occurred.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 55 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,506 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 10, 2014; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors, Inc. O-200-A (piston); 6,506 hours total
- Operator: Eagle East Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LWM Lawrence MA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: EEN Keene NH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.64 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from ASH, 9 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.