Cessna 150J accident near Silverdale, Washington, December 10, 1997
On December 10, 1997, a Cessna 150J, registered N51369, was substantially damaged in an accident near Silverdale, Washington. 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
Ice accumulation in the carburetor throat. Factors include conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing, an inoperative starter due to a separated pull-to-start knob, and soft terrain at the location of the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 1997
- Place
- Silverdale, Washington · 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
- N51369 · registry record · serial 15069956
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that as the student pilot was recovering from the third of a series of power-off stalls, the engine began to run rough. Power was applied smoothly and carburetor heat was turned off. The engine continued to run rough, and after approximately five seconds, the engine quit. The flight instructor took over the controls from the student and attempted to restart the engine. During the second restart attempt, the flight instructor pulled the starter handle, however, the handle separated from the panel. A forced landing was made to a soft field where a successful touchdown was accomplished, but during the landing roll, the nose wheel dug in and the airplane nosed over. During the postaccident inspection, the engine was run to 2500 rpm. The engine operated smoothly, with no discrepancies noted. Both magnetos were checked and found operational. The carburetor heat control was checked and found operational. The engine pull-to-start knob was inspected and it was found to have pulled off the metal shaft that runs through the panel, and the metal shaft had pulled away from the cable that runs to the starter lever.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,664 hours in all; 194 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,127 as pilot in command; 346 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,351 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1997; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alternate Air Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N51369 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.