Cessna 150F accident near Kalispell, Montana, July 8, 2008
On July 8, 2008 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8647G, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Kalispell, Montana (Kalispell City Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel system contamination by a foreign substance. Contributing to the accident was the uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2008 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Kalispell, Montana · Kalispell City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8647G · no longer on the register · serial 15062747
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student took off for an instructional flight during which a series of touch-and-go landings were performed. During initial climb out for the 13th takeoff, the engine sputtered, regained power, and then lost power on the crosswind leg. The CFI took the controls and attempted a forced landing. The airplane impacted the uneven ground, collided into a fence, and was destroyed by fire. During the subsequent examination of the airframe and engine, no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction was found. The engine's carburetor assembly was examined by the Safety Board Materials Laboratory. Granular material was found on the walls of the carburetor's throat and in the interior of the inlet duct. The idle jet was substantially blocked and the main jet was partially obstructed. Similar fine granular material and clumps of mixed fine and coarser granular material were also found inside the carburetor jets. Because the granular sand-like material was found in both the fuel and air sides of the carburetor, it is evident that the foreign substance entered the carburetor during flight. The airplane had a history of infrequent usage. During the 10-month period from April 2007 to February 2008, the airplane had been operated for only 8.8 hours.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
- Fuel contamination during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on equipment
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,013 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 789 as pilot in command; 562 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 5, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 12 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 5, 2007
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,228.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: S27 Kalispell MT at 6:39 pm
- Destination: S27 Kalispell MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from GPI, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.