Cessna 150L accident near Danville, Virginia, August 17, 1987
On August 17, 1987 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N11872, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danville, Virginia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- August 17, 1987 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Danville, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N11872 · registry record · serial 15075676
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL X-COUNTRY FLT FROM CHESAPEAKE, VA. TO SOUTH BOSTON, VA. TO ASHLAND, VA. WITH A RETURN TO CHESAPEAKE. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE STUDENT PLT PERFORMED THE ACFT PREFLT AND INFORMED THE CFI THAT THE ACFT WAS TOPPED OFF. UPON ARRIVAL AT SOUTH BOSTON (THE PLANNED FUEL STOP) IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF LINE PERSONNEL. THE CFI DETERMINED ENOUGH FUEL REMAINED TO FLY TO DANVILLE, VA. (25 NM AWAY) AND REFUEL THERE. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED APRX 4 MILES FROM DANVILLE. THE ACFT STALLED AT AN ALT OF APRX 30 FT AGL AS THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CLEAR A ROW OF TREES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. POST ACCIDENT EXAM REVEALED 1 CUP OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE ACFT SYSTEM. INSPECTION OF REFUELING RECORDS SHOWED THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLOWN 1.5 HOURS SINCE IT HAD BEEN REFUELED PRIOR TO THIS FLT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,442 hours in all; 1,030 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 2,305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,338 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 6, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W78 South Boston VA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: DAN Danville VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 N11872 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.