Cessna 150F accident near Jacksonville, North Carolina, April 26, 1989
On April 26, 1989 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8260F, was destroyed in an accident near Jacksonville, North Carolina (Private airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PREFLIGHT AND PLAN WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH TREES. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF WITH AN OVER GROSS WEIGHT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1989 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, North Carolina · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8260F · no longer on the register · serial 15064360
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF FROM A 2,300 FOOT WET SOD RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB OVER A TREE LINE ABOUT 30 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT FAILED TO CALCULATE THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE BEFORE ATTEMPTING THE TAKEOFF. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 75 LBS OVER THE DESIGN GROSS WEIGHT. THE APRX TAKEOFF DISTANCE AT MAX ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT WAS 1,385 FEET (DRY, HARD RUNWAY). THE PILOT SAID HE ELECTED TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF PRIOR TO REACHING THE TREE LINE.
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
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,482 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 21, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 am from NCA
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.