Cessna 150M N66286 accident near Beluga Lake, Alaska

Probable cause

The pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed from an off-airport site with one passenger. The passenger stated that the last thing that he remembered was the airplane being about 200 feet in the air. The wreckage came to rest at the base of a large berm adjacent to the takeoff site. An on-scene examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical deficiencies. Ground impact scars and the damage to the airplane were consistent with a high-energy impact, indicative of an aerodynamic stall. Given the lack of mechanical deficiencies with the airplane and engine, and the nature of the damage to the airplane, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane at a low altitude and was unable to recover.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC11FA055 for the full record.