Cessna 150J accident near Elizabeth, West Virginia, January 28, 1984
On January 28, 1984 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N61289, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elizabeth, West Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- January 28, 1984 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Elizabeth, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N61289 · registry record · serial 15070945
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED STEUBENVILLE, OH FOR WELCH, WV, TO PICK UP A PASSENGER AND CONTINUE TO PARKERSBURG, WV. HE STATED THAT HE DEPARTED STEUBENVILLE WITH FULL FUEL TANKS AND CRUISED AT AN ALT OF 7500 MSL. HE BEGAN AN ENROUTE DESCENT AND AS THE ACFT PASSED THROUGH 4500 MSL THE ENG LOST POWER. INVESTIGATION REVEAL THAT THE ACFT WAS OUT OF FUEL.
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: 131 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,953 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1984; 1,760 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 125 Welch WV at 8:42 pm
- Destination: PKB Parkersburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 195° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from PKB, 175 miles away
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.