Cessna 150L accident near Portsmouth, Virginia, November 15, 1991
On November 15, 1991 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N19595, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portsmouth, Virginia (Hampton Rds 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
COLLISIION WITH THE DEER ON THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 1991 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Portsmouth, Virginia · Hampton Rds · 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
- N19595 · no longer on the register · serial 15074517
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED TWO FULL STOP LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 20 WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE RUNWAY FOR THE THIRD TIME. HE STATED THAT THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS NORMAL AND AS THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED TO 55 MPH HE NOTICED TWO DEER ENTERING THE RUNWAY FROM THE LEFT SIDE. HE REPORTED THAT HE TRIED TO FLY OVER THE DEER BY ROTATING BUT THE AIRCRAFTY STRUCK THE DEER AT ABOUT 3 TO 4 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE LOW WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE COLLAPSING THE NOSEWHEEL AND SLID TO A STOP.
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
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 157 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,273 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1991; 52 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: PVG at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,524 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ORE, 14 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.
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.