Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance during a night approach, resulting in a collision with terrain short of the runway.
NTSB analysis
The solo commercial pilot was doing full stop night landings, to become night current under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said on his third landing, he noticed that the vertical approach slope indicator (VASI) lights were becoming red over red indicating that he was below the glide slope. He said he should have applied full power. The pilot reported that the airplane continued to descend, and struck the elevated instrument landing system (ILS) runway centerline lights and terrain short of the runway. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane's fuselage sustained substantial damage during the accident.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC10CA089 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Sep 14, 2010
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska
- Nearest airport
- Bethel (PABE)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Night
Cessna 150M
- N-number
- N45624
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.