Cessna 150M accident near Knightdale, North Carolina, June 17, 1996
On June 17, 1996 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N47ES, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knightdale, North Carolina. It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the flight instructor (CFI) to ensure proper use of the carburetor heat, which resulted in carburetor ice, loss of engine power, and a subsequent emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1996 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Knightdale, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N47ES · registry record · serial 15078449
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor (CFI) informed the student pilot to descend power off from 3,000 feet to 2,500 feet. The carburetor heat was not activated by the student pilot or CFI. About 1 minute after the student pilot leveled off at 2,500 feet, the CFI initiated a simulated forced landing. The student pilot overshot the forced landing area, and the CFI took control of the airplane and increased power. The engine would not produce full power and quit. The CFI made a forced landing in a tobacco field, and the airplane nosed over on touchdown. An examination of the engine was made, but no preimpact mechanical failure was found. The reported temperature and dew point were 86 and 70 degrees, respectively. According to icing probability charts, conditions at glide power were conducive to serious carburetor ice.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 423 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 334 as pilot in command; 21 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Raleigh East Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: W-17 at 10:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from RDU, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.