Cessna 150F accident near Nampa, Idaho, March 6, 1985
On March 6, 1985 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N6812F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nampa, Idaho. 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 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
- March 6, 1985 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Nampa, Idaho · 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
- N6812F · no longer on the register · serial 15063412
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLYING AT NGT IN THE LCL PRACTICE AREA SOUTH OF NAMPA, THE PLT THOUGHT HE HAD FLOWN INTO IMC, BUT THE WX WAS GOOD.HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE GROUND, SO HE MADE A 180 DEG TURN, THEN NOTED PROBLEMS SEEING HIS INSTRUMENT PANEL. SUSPECTING PSBL CARBON MONOXIDE, HE TURNED OFF THE HEAT & OPENED THE AIR VENTS, BUT HE THEN EXPERIENCE TUNNEL VISION & BECAME LOST & DISORIENTED. HE PLACED HIS HEAD SET NEAR THE MAG COMPASS WHICH CAUSED AN ERRONEOUS READING. WHILE SEEKING HELP FROM ATC, THE PLT SET HIS HDG INDCR (DGI) TO AGREE WITH HIS MAG COMPASS. ATC TRIED TO ASSIST BY GIVING A DF STEER & PROVIDINGVECTORS DURING A CLIMB TO OBTAIN RADAR CONTACT. HOWEVER, THE ACFT IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ALT OF APRX 4800'. ATC HAD PROVIDED A CORRECT STEER TWD THE ARPT, BUT THE ACFT CRASHED WHILE TRAVELING AWAY FROM THE ARPT. RESCUE WAS DELAYED DUE TO WX & THE PLT TURNING OFF THE ELT FOR A TIME. ATC TAPES VERIFIED NORMAL CONVERSATION UNTIL THE PLT HAD SOUNDS OF PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT WITH HVY BREATHING, SLOW SPEECH, & DIFFICULTY FOLLOWING ATC INSTRUCTIONS; REASON UNKNOWN.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,250 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1984; 79 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: BOI Boise ID at 1:30 am
- Destination: BOI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from BOI, 26 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.