Cessna 150L accident near Douglas, Georgia, October 19, 1984
On October 19, 1984 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N5226Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Douglas, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- October 19, 1984 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Douglas, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5226Q · registry record · serial 150733126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE FORMER AERIAL APPLICATION PLT WAS DEMONSTRATING AN AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVER WHEN HE ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT OVER A LAKE. THE PLT DELAYED THE RECOVERY AND THE PASSENGER, WHO HELD A STUDENT PLT CERTIFICATE, ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL OFF. AFTER THE ACFT IMPACTED IN THE LAKE, IT QUICKLY FILLED WITH WATER AND SANK. THE PASSENGER ESCAPED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO UNFASTEN THE PLT'S LAPBELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS. THE PLT'S DEATH WAS DUE TO DROWNING. AN FAA TOXICOLOGICAL CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF .223%. A HOSPITAL CHECK OF THE PASSENGER'S BLOOD INDICATED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.19% (0.19 GRAMS %).
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,990 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 1984; 27 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: 18J Douglas GA at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°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.