Cessna 150 accident near Ankeny, Iowa, March 26, 1990
On March 26, 1990 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N2254J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ankeny, Iowa (Todd Field). It was a business 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
FUEL CONTAMINATION AND INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 1990 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ankeny, Iowa · Todd Field · 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
- N2254J · no longer on the register · serial 150-65454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PVT PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD JUST DEPARTED RUNWAY 35 AND HAD TURNED CROSSWIND, WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. HE MADE A TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRSTRIP AND LAND ON RUNWAY 17, BUT THE ENGINE LOST POWER, COMPLETELY. UNABLE TO REACH THE PVT AIRSTRIP, AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE IN A FALLOW CORN FIELD, WHICH RESULTED IN A NOSE OVER. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,856 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 1990; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Todd'S Flying Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Y42 at 10:40 pm
- Destination: 0Y7 Lamoni IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from DSM, 10 miles away
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.