Cessna 150F accident near Petersburg, Virginia, May 28, 1988
On May 28, 1988 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N6699F, was destroyed in an accident near Petersburg, Virginia (Petersburg Muni. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- May 28, 1988 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Petersburg, Virginia · Petersburg Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6699F · no longer on the register · serial 15063299
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS BEING ACCOMPANIED BY A 182 DURING THE FLT FROM NC TO TANGIER ISLAND. BOTH ACFT LANDED AT PETERSBURG. A PASSENGER IN THE 182 HAD BECOME ILL. AFTER REFUELING AND SPENDING A SHORT TIME AT PETERSBURG, BOTH ACFT DEPARTED FOR TANGIER ISLAND WITH THE PASSENGER WHO HAD GOTTEN ILL NOW IN N6699F. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES IN A WOODED AREA APRX 1 MILE FROM THE ARPT AT WHICH TIME THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT AND CONTROL WAS LOST. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO AN OPEN FIELD AND CAUGHT FIRE. A WITNESS RECALLED SEEING THE ACFT FLYING LOW AND SLOW PRIOR TO IT CONTACTING THE TREES. WEIGHT AND BALANCE INFO INDICATES THAT THE ACFT WAS AT LEAST 39 POUNDS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF. THE PLT WAS KNOWN TO HAVE RARELY FLOWN WITH THIS PASSENGER IN A CESSNA 150 DUE TO WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS. BOTH PLT AND PAX WERE LARGE, APRX 300 LBS EACH.
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: 100 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,842 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 27, 1987; 183 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PTB Petersburg VA at 3:55 pm
- Destination: TGI Tangier Island VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from RIC, 20 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.