Cessna 150J accident near Tonasket, Washington, December 16, 1993
On December 16, 1993, a Cessna 150J, registered N61215, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tonasket, Washington (Abandoned Airstrip 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. FACTORS INCLUDE AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT, FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND AN ICY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 1993
- Place
- Tonasket, Washington · Abandoned Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N61215 · registry record · serial 15070892
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, THE PILOT CHECKED THE FUEL GAUGES AND 'DIPPED' THE FUEL TANKS, BUT HE DID NOT USE A CALIBRATED FUEL TANK QUANTITY DEVICE. DURING CRUISE THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ON AN ABANDONED DIRT AIRSTRIP WHICH HAD PATCHES OF ICE ON IT. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE PILOT OVERSHOT THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, LANDED LONG, AND SLID OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 268 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 185 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,937 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1993; 210 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: S97 Brewster WA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°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.