Cessna 150H accident near Lopez Island, Washington, April 13, 2000
On April 13, 2000 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N50039, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lopez Island, Washington (Lopez Island airport). 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Proper touchdown point not attained by the pilot. Factors include excessive speed at touchdown, a wet runway, a fence, and the pilot's inadvertent flight into IMC.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2000 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lopez Island, Washington · Lopez Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N50039 · no longer on the register · serial 15069030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after departure, during the ascent, the pilot inadvertently entered IMC conditions. The pilot initiated a turn back to the airport, reacquired the runway at 100 feet above ground level (agl) and approximately mid-field. The aircraft touched down 2,700 feet down the 2,900 foot wet runway at 80 MPH. The aircraft traveled off the end of the runway and collided with a fence. No mechanical malfunctions were reported with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
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: 152 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 5, 2000; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S31 Lopez Island WA at 5:25 pm
- Destination: 74S Anacortes WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,900 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:14 pm from FHR, 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.