Cessna 150F accident near China, Maine, April 30, 2005
On April 30, 2005 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N6256R, was substantially damaged in an accident near China, Maine. 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 pilot's improper inflight decision to land in a field instead of a nearby airport, after encountering deteriorating weather conditions. A factor was the deteriorating weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2005 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- China, Maine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6256R · no longer on the register · serial 15061556
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route to his destination, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions and elected to perform a precautionary landing to a field, "to avoid flight into IMC." During the landing rollout, the airplane encountered a rut in the soft, rain-soaked field, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the Federal Aviation Administration Montreal Sectional Aeronautical Chart revealed several airports along the pilot's planned route of flight.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 1,246 hours in all; 203 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,105 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2004; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLT Millinocket ME at 4:40 pm
- Destination: BML Berlin NH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from WVL, 5 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.