Cessna 150 accident near Portsmouth, Virginia, November 15, 1991
On November 15, 1991 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N3072V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portsmouth, Virginia (Hampton Roads 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
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE ATTITUDE DURING THE LANDING FLARE/TOUCHDOWN AND HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
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 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Portsmouth, Virginia · Hampton Roads · 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
- N3072V · registry record · serial 15076377
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PREPARING TO PRACTICE FULL STOP LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 20. HE WAS ON HIS FIRST LANDING WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE REPORTED THAT HE FLEW A STABILIZED 62 MPH FINAL APPROACH SPEED WITH FULL FLAPS AND ENOUGH POWER TO STAY ON GLIDE PATH. HE STATED THAT HE REDUCED TO IDLE POWER AS THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE THRESHOLD. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED ON TOUCHDOWN, FOLLOWED BY A SECOND BOUNCE WHICH CAUSED THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. THE PILOT DOES NOT RECALL ADDING ANY POWER OR ADJUSTING THE PITCH TO THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN ATTITUDE. THE CLUB'S CHIEF CFI STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED SOME VERTICAL WIND SHEAR DURING FINAL AND ON TOUCHDOWN. THE APPROACH END OF THIS RUNWAY IS SURROUNDED BY TREES AND THERE IS ALWAYS TURBULENCE IN THE VICINITY ACCORDING TO THE CFI. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: student
- Flight time: 26 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,484 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 13, 1991; 5 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: NGU Norfolk VA at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 2, 3,524 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from PHF, 20 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.