Cessna 150G accident near Rock Hill, South Carolina, August 23, 1988
On August 23, 1988, a Cessna 150G, registered N3105J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rock Hill, South Carolina (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- August 23, 1988
- Place
- Rock Hill, South Carolina · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3105J · registry record · serial 15065805
- 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 THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH & LOSE PWR WHILE HE WAS CIRCLING SOME PROPERTY HE OWNED. HE SUBSEQUENTLY ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT A NEARBY ULTRALIGHT AIRSTRIP. HE STATED THAT HE DIDN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING AFTER THAT. THE AIRSTRIP OWNER REPORTED THAT HE HEARD THE ENGINE 'POPPING' AS THE ACFT APPROACHED THE AIRSTRIP AND ENTERED THE PATTERN. HE STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS 'TOO HIGH & TOO FAST' WHEN IT REACHED THE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN STALLED AND RECOVERED TWICE AS THE PLT MADE AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO TURN AROUND & LAND IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT STALLED AGAIN & CRASHED. POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE ACFT WAS FUELED W/ AUTOGAS AND THE CARB WAS EQUIPPED W/A COMPOSITE FLOAT. THE ACFT WAS AUTOGAS STC'D. WX CONDITIONS RPTD AT CLT ABT 20 MILES NORTH OF THE ACCD SITE INDICATED A TEMPERATURE OF 74 DEGREES AND DEW POINT OF 62 DEGREES ABT 50 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCD.
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: 273 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 220 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 28A Indian Trail NC at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,200 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.