Cessna 150 accident near Keokuk, Iowa, March 4, 1985
On March 4, 1985, a Cessna 150, registered N51004, was substantially damaged in an accident near Keokuk, Iowa. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1985
- Place
- Keokuk, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N51004 · no longer on the register · serial 15069703
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING FOR T/O ON A SOD RWY, GUSTING WINDS FLIPPED THE C-150 OVER AFTER IT BECAME BOGGED DOWN IN THE SOFT TERRAIN. THE PLT WAS AWARE OF THE GUSTING WIND CONDITIONS BUT WAS NOT EXPECTING TO GET THE A/C STUCK, EVEN THOUGH THE PILOT WAS AWARE IT HAD RAINED HARD THE DAY BEFORE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE CHOSE THE WET SOD INSTEAD OF THE ASPHALT RWY THE HEAD MORE INTO THE STRONG WINDS OF 20 PLUS KNOTS FROM 250 DEGS. THE SOD RWY WAS 27 & THE HARD SURFACE WAS RWY 31. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE THOUGHT THE 'ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE THE CROSS WIND.'
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,889 hours in all; 2,750 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 2,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EOK Keokuk IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; not recorded at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.