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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1989 · about 8:45 pm local time
- 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.
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 ATL90LA047.