Cessna 150 accident near Elkader, Iowa, June 20, 2019
On June 20, 2019 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 150, registered N6471F, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Elkader, Iowa (Elkader airport). 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 pilot's delayed decision to go around, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2019 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Elkader, Iowa · Elkader · 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
- N6471F · no longer on the register · serial 15063071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the approach and just before landing, he aborted the landing because he felt that the airplane was too high above the runway to land safely. As he configured the airplane to go around, the airplane flew about 150 ft beyond the runway, and the right wing struck treetops and then impacted terrain. The pilot added that quicker power application and flap configuration would have prevented the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 227 hours in all; 227 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 5, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,281.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,601 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 6,282 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I27 Elkader IA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: I27 Elkader IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,705 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KPDC, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 5, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.