Cessna 150J accident near Waverly, Tennessee, April 20, 1987
On April 20, 1987 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N60696, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waverly, Tennessee (Humphreys County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- April 20, 1987 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Waverly, Tennessee · Humphreys County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N60696 · no longer on the register · serial 15070509
- 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 WAS TAXIING TO THE RWY WHEN THE 'RUDDER FAILED TO TURN THE (AIRPLANE) ONTO THE RWY AND THE LEFT BRAKE FAILED.' THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY RAN OFF THE END OF THE TAXIWAY, TRAVELED APPROX. 50 FT., WENT OVER A STEEP DROPOFF AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN BELOW. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT BY A MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THE LEFT BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID SUPPLY HAD LEAKED OUT OF THE LEFT BRAKE ASSY, AROUND THE CALIPER PISTON 0-RING. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND TO EXIST IN THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING SYSTEM.
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: 153 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.