Cessna 150 accident near Lapeer, Michigan, February 1, 2016
On February 1, 2016 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 150, registered N6960F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Lapeer, Michigan (Dupont-Lapeer airport). It was a personal 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 failure to achieve an adequate climb rate while turning to avoid obstacles during an aborted landing, resulting in an uncontrolled descent, collision with terrain, and a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 2016 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lapeer, Michigan · Dupont-Lapeer · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 F, built 1966 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6960F · registry record · serial 15063560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The owner of the airplane reported that the solo student pilot told him that the airplane "bounced upon touchdown." He further reported that the solo student pilot executed a "go-around," and "determined the climb out rate was insufficient to clear the trees and the airspeed and altitude were insufficient to permit a safe course adjustment to avoid the tree line." The airplane touched down on a field with "plowed soft soil," the nose wheel collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The owner did not report any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during uncontrolled descent
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 16.2 hours in all; 16.2 in this make and model; 16.2 in the last 90 days; 7.3 in the last 30 days; 1.3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 13, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 350 hours total
- Operator: Ronald O. Holcomb, LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: D95 Lapeer MI at 6:50 pm
- Destination: D95 Lapeer MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,605 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KD95
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.