Cessna 150J accident near Coatsville, Pennsylvania, July 12, 1994
On July 12, 1994 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N60426, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coatsville, Pennsylvania. It was a personal 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
The pilot's inadequate use of carburetor hear. A factor was carburetor icing conditions and soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1994 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Coatsville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N60426 · no longer on the register · serial 15070298
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2000 FT MSL WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED A GRADUAL DROP IN ENGINE RPM. HE ADDED CARBURETOR HEAT; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE AND HE SET UP FOR A FORCED LANDING. DURING ROLLOUT, TO PREVENT FROM GOING ONTO A ROAD WHERE VEHICLES WERE TRAVELING, THE PILOT APPLIED HEAVY BRAKING. THE NOSE WHEEL DUG INTO THE SOFT TERRAIN, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. ACCORDING TO AN FAA PUBLISHED CARBURETOR ICING CHART, THE TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT, RESPECTIVELY 87 AND 65 DEGREES F, WERE WITHIN THE RANGE FOR CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS.
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: 266 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 81 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,223 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 1994; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from PHL, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.