Cessna 150J accident near New Bern, North Carolina, April 19, 1991
On April 19, 1991 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N51414, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Bern, North Carolina (Simmons airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOSS OF POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE INADVERTENT STALL OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1991 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- New Bern, North Carolina · Simmons · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N51414 · no longer on the register · serial 15069994
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING A GO-AROUND THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND THE PILOT KNEW THAT THERE WERE OBSTACLES ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY THAT HE COULD NOT SEE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, AND CRASHED. EXAMINATION AND TEST RUN OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION.
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: 160 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- 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 22, 4,804 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Observation at 1:46 am from EWN, 1 miles away
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.