Cessna 150E accident near Winston Salem, North Carolina, September 24, 1987
On September 24, 1987 at about 10:56 am local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N2599J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winston Salem, North Carolina (Smith Reynolds airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- September 24, 1987 · about 10:56 am local time
- Place
- Winston Salem, North Carolina · Smith Reynolds
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N2599J · no longer on the register · serial 15061099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STU PLT DISCUSSED A CROSS COUNTRY FLT WITH HIS CFI, BUT DID NOT GET A SIGN OFF NOR GIVE A DATE FOR THE FLT. HE THEN RENTED AN ACFT AND DEPARTED ON THE FLT. DURING THE FLT, THE COM RADIO'S BECAME INOP. THE OPERATOR AND THE CFI WERE CALLED FROM AN ENROUTE LNDG POINT AND MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER DISCUSSING THE SITUATION AND A PROPOSED ROUTE FOR THE RETURN FLT, THE CFI GAVE VERBAL APPROVAL. THE PLT ARRIVED AT THE ARPT EARLY IN THE MORNING SO THAT HE COULD TKOF PRIOR TO THE TWR OPENING. HE DPTD ON RWY 21, TURNED LEFT, AND OVERFLEW RWY 15 TO THE END WHERE HE TURNED LEFT AGAIN. A WITNESS STD THAT THE ACFT DID NOT SOUND RIGHT FM THE START OF THE TKOF. A TURN BACK TO THE ARPT WAS MADE. A 737 ON FINAL APP TO RWY 33 WAS OBSERVED. THE PLT ATTEMPTED A 360 DEGREE TURN BUT RAN OUT OF ALT AND IMPACTED SOME TREES AT THE ARPT BOUNDRY. THE CREW OF THE 737 WERE ADVISED OF TRAFFIC IN THE AREA AND OBSERVED A SMALL ACFT TURN AWAY FROM THE ARPT. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED A STUCK EXHAUST VALVE IN THE NO. 2 CYL AND A CRACK IN THE HEAD OF NO. 3 CYL.
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: student
- Flight time: 128 hours in all; 60 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,254 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 1986; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Professional Pilot, INC.
The flight
- Destination: W16 Winchester VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,938 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 am from GSO, 14 miles away
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.