Cessna 150C accident near Wellington, Nevada, May 22, 2014
On May 22, 2014 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1963 Cessna 150C, registered N2068Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Wellington, Nevada (Sweetwater (Usmc) 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while departing from a wet runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2014 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wellington, Nevada · Sweetwater (Usmc) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150C C, built 1963 · all 150Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2068Z · registry record · serial 15059868
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll on a wet dirt airstrip, the airplane reached rotation speed quickly but indicated no further speed. The pilot felt the main gear impact softer areas on either side while keeping the airplane under control just prior to lifting off. The airplane was airborne briefly then settled back down. As the airplane was approaching the departure end of the runway where the surface slopes down it became airborne. The pilot reported that he turned toward lower terrain and attempted to follow the airport access road but failed to maintain aircraft control. The airplane did not attain sufficient altitude and collided with a fence and nosed over. The wings, vertical stabilizer and rudder were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,829 hours in all; 1,302 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,770 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,873 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 2014; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,499 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 E2D (piston); 4,100 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NV72 Wellington NV at 5:30 pm
- Destination: BIH Bishop CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from KNFL, 59 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N2068Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR14CA204.