Cessna 150F accident near Newville, Alabama, January 1, 1987
On January 1, 1987 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8780S, was destroyed in an accident near Newville, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 1, 1987 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Newville, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8780S · no longer on the register · serial 15062080
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT LOW LEVELS DURING AN ORIENTATION/PLEASURE FLIGHT FOR A FRIEND'S OUT-OF-TOWN RELATIVE VISITING OVER THE HOLIDAYS. THE PROFESSIONAL MILITARY PILOT HAD BEEN CHECKED OUT IN THE CIVILIAN CESSNA 150 SIX WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT'S RECORD INDICATED NO PRIOR CIVILIAN FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND IN A WOODED AREA AFTER COLLIDING WITH TREES AT 137 MPH AT A 33 DEGREE DESCENT ANGLE. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,721 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 28 in the last 30 days; 3,973 as pilot in command; 412 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,347 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 1986; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ozark Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: 71J Ozark AL at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DHN, 14 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.
Other NTSB records under N8780S 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.