Cessna 150M accident near Dahlonega, Georgia, May 26, 1987
On May 26, 1987 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704YK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dahlonega, Georgia (Lumpkin County Wimpys airport). It was an instructional 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
- May 26, 1987 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Dahlonega, Georgia · Lumpkin County Wimpys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N704YK · no longer on the register · serial 15078977
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES AND A HILLSIDE SHORTLY AFTER A NIGHT TAKEOFF FROM RWY 33 WHILE THE CFI WAS FLYING THE ACFT FROM THE RT SEAT. THE CFI REPORTED THAT HE INTENDED TO FLY THE PATTERN TO DEMONSTRATE A LDG TO HIS STUDENT. DURING INITIAL CLIMB, HE LOST SIGHT OF THE TERRAIN AHEAD OF THE ACFT AND SUBSEQUENTLY FLEW A HDG OF 300 DEGREES USING THE DG. THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY HIT TREES AND CAME TO REST NOSE-DOWN ON A HILL ABOUT 1/2 MILE DUE NORTH OF THE ARPT. THE CFI REPORTED THAT HE KNEW THE DG HAD A TENDENCY TO PRECESS EXCESSIVELY AND THAT HE HAD RESET IT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. POST-CRASH TESTING OF THE DG REVEALED THAT IT FAILED TO OPERATE WITHIN MFR SPECS. TOTAL REPORTED OPERATING TIME ON THE UNIT SINCE NEW WAS 1460 HRS. THE ARPT WAS OBSERVED TO BE EQUIPPED WITH LIGHTS ALONG ONLY THE FIRST 1000 FT OF THE RWY. THE CFI REPORTED THAT IT WAS ACCEPTED LOCAL PRACTICE TO DEPART ONLY ON RWY 15 AT NIGHT DUE TO THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES IN THE HILLY TERRAIN TO THE NORTH OF THE ARPT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 766 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 650 as pilot in command; 120 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,496 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 1987; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dahlonega Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 9A0 Dahlonega GA at 1:58 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.