Cessna 150 accident near Snow Hill, North Carolina, November 10, 2016
On November 10, 2016 at about 10:40 am local time, a 1968 Cessna 150, registered N23473, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Snow Hill, North Carolina. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 2016 · about 10:40 am local time
- Place
- Snow Hill, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 H, built 1968 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N23473 · registry record · serial 15068973
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane with no anomalies noted; the airplane had about 13 gallons of fuel. He departed on a personal cross-country flight and, about 35 minutes after takeoff while flying at 3,000 ft mean sea level, the engine suddenly lost total power. He immediately applied carburetor heat and left it activated for the remainder of the flight. His attempts to restore engine power were not successful. He turned toward a nearby airport but executed a forced landing in a field, during which the airplane nosed over. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed an adequate supply of uncontaminated fuel, and examination of the engine and engine systems revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although the weather conditions were favorable for the formation of serious carburetor ice at cruise power setting, the pilot did not report a gradual reduction in power as would likely be expected with carburetor ice accrual over time at cruise power. Thus, the reason for the reported total loss of engine power could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and engine systems did not reveal any evidence of mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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 (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200.6 hours in all; 172.6 in this make and model; 83.5 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 145.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 9, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,556.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200-A (piston); 5,557 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W17 Knightdale NC at 10:05 am
- Destination: ISO Kinston NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 am from GWW, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA17LA045.