Cessna 150M accident near Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, March 25, 1995
On March 25, 1995 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N9345U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina (Triple W airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S FAILURE TO COMPLETE THE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST WHICH RESULTED IN AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF WITH THE WING FLAPS EXTENDED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1995 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina · Triple W · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9345U · no longer on the register · serial 15078294
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, HE AND THE PRE-SOLO STUDENT WERE CONDUCTING TOUCH-AND-GO TRAINING WHEN THE STUDENT PILOT FAILED TO RETRACT THE WING FLAPS AFTER LANDING. DURING THE TAKEOFF PHASE OF THE PROCEDURE, THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO GAIN NORMAL CLIMB AIRSPEED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS FROM THE STUDENT, AND ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE THE AIRSPEED, AND RETRACT THE WING FLAPS. UPON REALIZING THAT A SAFE CLIMB TO CLEAR TREES WAS NOT POSSIBLE, THE INSTRUCTOR ABORTED THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN A GRASSY AREA, AND NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM, BUT THE WING FLAPS WERE STILL IN THE LANDING POSITION. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S HANDBOOK, 'FLAP DEFLECTIONS OF 30 DEGREES AND 40 DEGREES ARE NOT RECOMMENDED AT ANY TIME FOR TAKEOFF'; UP IS THE NORMAL TAKEOFF POSITION FOR WING FLAPS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 20, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ginn INC.,
The flight
- Departed from: 5W5 at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from RDU, 15 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.