Cessna 150H accident near Bumpass, Virginia, November 20, 1984
On November 20, 1984 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N22741, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bumpass, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured 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
- November 20, 1984 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bumpass, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22741 · registry record · serial 15068486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
VFR PLT WAS USING VOR AIRWAY NAVIGATION. HE ARRIVED IN THE VICINITY OF DESTINATION AFTER DARK AND ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE THE ARPT BY FLYING A RADIAL FROM THE VOR; HOWEVER, HE USED THE 230 DEGREE RADIAL (PUBLISHED RADIAL IS 237 DEGREES). FURTHER, THE ARPT IS UNLIGHTED UNLESS PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE. PLT HAD NOT DONE SO. PLT FLEW BACK AND FORTH ALONG THE 230 RADIAL FOR 45 MINS BUT DID NOT SIGHT ARPT. DURING THIS TIME, PLT CALLED ARPT ON UNICOM FOR THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. UNKNOWN PLT RESPONDED WITH WIND DIRECTION, BUT NO ANSWER FROM ARPT. PLT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN ASSIST FROM ARTCC OR OTHER FACILITY. (THERE WERE 7 ARPTS WITHIN A 10 MI RADIUS OF THE VOR IN USE.) WHEN FUEL BECAME CRITICAL, PLT LOOKED FOR EMERG LNDG SITE BUT FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED. PLT SET UP MIN DESCENT RATE AND ALLOWED ACFT TO SETTLE INTO TREES. ACFT LODGED IN TREES AND THE PLT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES UPON DEPLANING WHEN HE FELL 20 FT TO THE GROUND.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 526 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 396 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,315 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 1984; 16 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: PSF Pittsfield MA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: W07 Fredericksburg VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from DCA, 60 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.