Morrisey 2150A accident near Winston Salem, North Carolina, December 29, 1989
On December 29, 1989 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Morrisey 2150A, registered N5145V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winston Salem, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A BLOCKED FUEL VENT LINE, WHICH PREVENTED NORMAL FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1989 · about 8:45 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Winston Salem, North Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Morrisey 2150A · all 2150As on the register
- Registration
- N5145V · no longer on the register · serial SP-41
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE POWER LOSS. HIS ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE FAILED & THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA. A WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE LEFT FUEL VENT WAS BLOCKED, WHICH RESTRICTED AND TERMINATED THE GRAVITY FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THIS BLOCKAGE WAS LOCATED WITHIN THE WING STRUCTURE. THE PILOT WAS OPERATING FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT.
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: 223 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,640 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1989; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,817 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wilksboro NC at 8:30 pm
- Destination: Trinity NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from INT
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5145V: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Morrisey 2150 22 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Morrisey 22 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,305 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in North Carolina 1,762 since 1982 · 305 in the last ten years
- North Carolina 7,118 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL90LA047.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.