Cessna 150 accident near Copperhill, Tennessee, April 24, 1991
On April 24, 1991 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N2409J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Copperhill, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE EXISTING OF CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1991 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Copperhill, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N2409J · no longer on the register · serial 15065509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ALL PREFLIGHT CHECKS WERE COMPLETED PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING THE TAKEOFF. ADDITIONALLY, THE CARBURETOR HEAT CHECK WAS NORMAL. SHORTLY AFTER TURNING DOWNWIND, THE PILOT REPORTED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE ATTEMPTED A TURN TOWARD THE AIRPORT, BUT, REALIZING THAT HE WOULD BE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE ADJACENT PAVED ROAD. DURING THE ROLLOUT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A ROAD SIGN. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND POWER PLANT FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM; HOWEVER, WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
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: 475 hours in all; 470 in this make and model
- 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: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Observation at 5:00 pm from CHA, 35 miles away
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.
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.