Cessna 150 accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, August 26, 1989
On August 26, 1989 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N6840G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland (Montgomery 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNDETERMINED PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY SECURE THE AIRPLANE OR OBTAIN PROPER ASSISTANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1989 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gaithersburg, Maryland · Montgomery County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6840G · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE & DECIDED TO PULL THE PROP THROUGH BY HAND. HE STATED HE REMOVED THE IGNITION KEY, PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE & THE MIXTURE TO IDLE CUT-OFF. WHEN HE TURNED THE PROP, THE ENGINE STARTED & THE ACFT BEGAN TO TAXI. IT TRAVELED INTO A PARKED CESSNA SKYHAWK, WHICH WAS PUSHED INTO A CESSNA SKYLANE & A PIPER ARROW. NO MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO START.
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: 338 hours in all; 338 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 240 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,632 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1989; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 0W3 Churchville MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.