- Date
- November 9, 2025, 11:05 local (18:05 UTC)
- Place
- Marana, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N6495TCessna 150
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 15, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20251109016659A
- Case key
- 201986
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper starting procedure which resulted in the airplane’s unexpected movement and subsequent impact with an airport fence.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that after he had taxied to the runup area, he decided to shut down the engine and verify the fuel levels. Afterwards, he attempted to restart the engine and found that the battery was dead. He exited the airplane, chocked the left main landing gear, set the throttle and magneto switch before he hand propped the engine. . . After the engine started, he removed the chock from the left main landing gear and attempted to re-enter the airplane. As the pilot re-entered the airplane, the throttle lock loosened, and the airplane accelerated forward without the pilot in the airplane. The unoccupied airplane subsequently impacted an airport fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6495T
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17895
- Built
- 1960
- Airframe hours
- 5,905.15
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 10, 2025
- Departed
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- AVQ · Marana Regional Airport
- Equipment
- ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 16, 2025
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 510.8 total · 477.1 in this make and model · 449 as pilot in command · 10.7 in the last 90 days · 7.6 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KAVQ
- METAR
- KAVQ 091755Z AUTO 09008KT 10SM CLR 25/01 A3015 RMK AO2
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 15, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 16.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6495T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.