Morrisey 2150A accident near Lenoir, North Carolina, March 18, 1989
On March 18, 1989 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Morrisey 2150A, registered N41HB, was destroyed in an accident near Lenoir, North Carolina (Lower Creek Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT DISREGARDED THE APPARENT SEVERITY OF THE APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS AND ATTEMPTED A CIRCUIT OF THE AIRPORT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WHEN IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1989 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lenoir, North Carolina · Lower Creek Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Morrisey 2150A · all 2150As on the register
- Registration
- N41HB · registry record · serial SP-30
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE PILOT AND/OR OTHERS HAD JUST COMPLETED REASSEMBLY OF HIS AIRPLANE AFTER HAVING IT REPAINTED AT AN AUTOMOTIVE PAINT SHOP. AFTER FUELING THE TANKS HE ELECTED TO TRY A FLIGHT AROUND THE LOCAL PVT AIRSTRIP IN THE VICINITY OF RAPIDLY APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS. JUST AFTER LIFT OFF, HE ENCOUNTERED HEAVY RAIN AND ABORTED THE FIRST LANDING ATTEMPT. HE THEN TRIED TO MAKE A LOW ALTITUDE TEARDROP APPROACH TO LANDING ON THE OPPOSITE RUNWAY. DURING THE TURN TO FINAL, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ROLL INVERTED AAND COLLIDE WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE AND PILOT HAD NOT FLOWN FOR OVER THREE MONTHS.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 455 hours in all; 32 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,817 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,200 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL89LA111.