Cessna 150 accident near Buford, Georgia, May 16, 1982
On May 16, 1982 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N7588G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buford, Georgia (Mathis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1982 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Buford, Georgia · Mathis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N7588G · no longer on the register · serial 15074702
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT USED ZERO FLAPS AND ABOUT 2/3RDS OF THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY IN AN ATTEMPT TO PRACTICE A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN TAKEOFF SPEED AND ELECTED TO ABORT BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT ROLLED OFF A 50 FOOT DROP. THE RUNWAY SURFACE WAS DESCRIBED AS ROUGH EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ASPHALT. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT THE USE OF 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS WILL SHORTEN THE GROUND RUN APPROXIMATELY 10% AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE USED FOR MINUMUM GROUND RUNS OR FOR TAKEOFFS FROM SOFT OR ROUGH FIELDS WITH NO OBSTACLES AHEAD.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 506 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 447 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,157 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mccollum GA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: Mccollum GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,500 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 185°F (85°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.