Cessna 150L N18601 accident near Upham, North Dakota

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to obtain a proper aimpoint during landing due to reduced visibility from the setting sun.

NTSB analysis

The pilot had completed a local flight and was landing at his unlighted grass airstrip toward the west shortly after sunset. While landing, the airplane impacted a riverbank short of the runway, about 6 ft below the elevation of the runway, which caused the airplane to nose over and come to rest inverted. The pilot was seriously injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot did not recall the accident but reported that there were no malfunctions with the airplane that would have contributed to the accident. It is likely that the pilot did not obtain a proper aimpoint during the approach due to reduced visibility from the setting sun, which resulted in a landing short of the runway.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN16LA350 for the full record.