Cessna 150L accident near Jefferson, Georgia, March 3, 1995
On March 3, 1995 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N1321Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jefferson, Georgia (Jackson County Airport). 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER BECAUSE OF STICKING VALVES. A FACTOR WAS THE CONTINUOUS USE OF AN IMPROPER FUEL GRADE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1995 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Jefferson, Georgia · Jackson County Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1321Q · no longer on the register · serial 15072621
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING AN EMERGENCY DESCENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, DURING A NON-PRECISION, INSTRUMENT APPROACH, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGHLY. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED WITHOUT EFFECT, AND THE ENGINE QUIT. A RE-START WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE ENGINE RAN FOR A FEW SECONDS. IT BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY, AGAIN, AND QUIT. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REACH AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT/OWNER STATED THAT HE REGULARLY USED AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE TO FUEL HIS AIRPLANE. THE USE OF AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE IS NOT APPROVED BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE ENGINE, AND CONTINUOUS USE OF AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE MAY LEAD TO STICKING OR CORRODED ENGINE VALVES. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE LOSS OF POWER WAS CAUSED BY STUCK INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES WHILE IN FLIGHT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 786 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 704 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGY Dayton OH at 5:55 pm
- Destination: 19A
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 4,108 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from AHN
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.
Other NTSB records under N1321Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.