Cessna 150J accident near Miles City, Montana, June 6, 1995
On June 6, 1995 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N51146, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miles City, Montana. It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's inadequate supervision. Factors to the accident were: The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and the downdraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 1995 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Miles City, Montana · 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
- N51146 · no longer on the register · serial 15069794
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE STUDENT WAS PRACTICING A SIMULATED ENGINE OUT LANDING TO A DIRT ROAD. AT 150 FEET AGL, THE PILOTS FELT A BUMP AND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT. THE STUDENT CORRECTED TO THE LEFT TO REALIGN WITH THE ROAD. WITH FULL FLAPS EXTENDED, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOLD THE STUDENT TO ADD FULL POWER. THE STUDENT ADDED FULL POWER AND TURNED OFF THE CARBURETOR HEAT. THE AIRPLANE LEVELED OFF AT 50 FEET AGL, WHEN ANOTHER BUMP WAS FELT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER WHEN THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT AND THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE SWUNG AROUND AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH NOSE FIRST. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 789 hours in all; 746 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 692 as pilot in command; 88 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,032 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 11, 1995; 41 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: MLS MT at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.