Cessna 150L accident near Fairmont, West Virginia, May 15, 1993
On May 15, 1993 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N16224, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairmont, West Virginia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOTS TO PROPERLY CLEAR THE ENGINE DURING THE APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 1993 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fairmont, West Virginia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N16224 · no longer on the register · serial 15073556
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 22. THE CFI SAID THE 1ST 3 LANDINGS WERE SUCCESSFULL, BUT DURING THE 3RD TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE STUDENT HAD ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO GET TOO FAR OUT AND TOO LOW. THE CFI SAID THE STUDENT THEN ADDED TOO MUCH POWER AND TURNED ONTO FINAL APPROACH 'CLOSE TO TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE . . .' REPORTEDLY, POWER WAS REDUCED TO IDLE AND THE 'FINAL APPROACH TURNED IN TO BE A GLIDE.' THE CFI STATED THAT CARBURETOR HEAT WAS USED DURING THE APPROACH. DURING TAKEOFF, THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS SHUT OFF AND POWER WAS APPLIED. HOWEVER, AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND TRIED TO RETURN ON RUNWAY 4, BUT DUE TO INADEQUATE ALTITUDE, HE WAS UNABLE TO ATTEMPT ANY RESTART PROCEDURES. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE NORTHBOUND LANE OF INTERSTATE 79. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING AND STABILIZER STRUCK A GUARD RAIL AND WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED 5.3 GAL OF AUTO FUEL AND NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE.
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, foreign licence
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 864 hours in all; 577 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 98 in the last 30 days; 760 as pilot in command; 357 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,388 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 1993; 60 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: 4G7 at 11:00 pm
- Destination: 4G7
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:25 pm from MGW, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.