Cessna 150C accident near Manville, New Jersey, February 17, 1987
On February 17, 1987 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150C, registered N63218, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manville, New Jersey (Kupper airport). It was an aerial observation 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
- February 17, 1987 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Manville, New Jersey · Kupper
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150C · all 150Cs on the register
- Registration
- N63218 · no longer on the register · serial 15077184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER MAKING A REST STOP, THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENG, USING A NORMAL START PROCEDURE, BUT THE STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE. HE TRIED TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT SAID THAT 'POSSIBLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS WEARING HEAVY GLOVES, I FAILED TO SHUT THE MAG SWITCH OFF COMPLETELY.' HE THEN GOT OUT OF THE ACFT WITH THE INTENTION OF MOVING THE PROP SO THAT THE STARTER WOULD ENGAGE. AS HE MOVED THE PROP 'AN INCH OR TWO,' THE ENG STARTED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STARTED MOVING & COLLIDED WITH TWO OTHER AIRPLANES BEFORE IT CAME TO REST.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,079 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,897 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 1987; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Solberg Aviation
The flight
- Destination: N51 Readington NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.