Cessna 150L accident near Ellicott City, Maryland, January 13, 1987
On January 13, 1987 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N18140, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellicott City, Maryland (Hays Field). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1987 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Ellicott City, Maryland · Hays Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N18140 · registry record · serial 15073815
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER THE PILOT DEPARTED HAYES FIELD, COLUMBIA, MARYLAND, THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD. AFTER ENTERING DOWNWIND THE ENGINE CEASED TO CONTINUE PRODUCING POWER AND THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING THE LANDING THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. IN A STATEMENT FILLED OUT BY THE PILOT SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT THERE IS NO MENTION OF USING CARBURETOR HEAT AT ANY TIME DURING THE FLIGHT. THE BUTTERFLY VALVE IN THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX WAS FOUND BENT IN THE COLD POSITION. CONDITIONS DURING THE FLIGHT WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
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: 107 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 59 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 22, 1986; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MD24 Ellicott City MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BWI, 13 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.
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 BFO87LA014.