Cessna C-150H accident near Dyersburg, Tennessee, April 8, 2007
On April 8, 2007 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna C-150H, registered N6555S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dyersburg, Tennessee (Willis Airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student's pilot's misjudged distance/altitude that led to an undershoot and a failure to attain the proper touchdown point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2007 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dyersburg, Tennessee · Willis Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-150H
- Registration
- N6555S · no longer on the register · serial 15067355
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a ditch short of the runway threshhold. According to the student pilot, he was practicing "on point or spot landings". He stated that he "landed too close to the south end of the strip and got the left landing gear caught in a ditch about 8 inches from the top, causing the gear to bend backwards and causing the aircraft to veer to the left. He regained control of the aircraft and stopped." He further stated that he "should have picked a spot further down the runway to practice spot landings." Damage to the airplane consisted of both landing gear and damage to surrounding airframe structure. There were no pre-impact mechanical problems reported by the pilot.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 159 hours in all; 132 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,692.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2007; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Dyersburg TN at 7:45 pm
- Destination: PVT Dyersburg TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from DYR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N6555S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.