Cessna 150 accident near Erie, Pennsylvania, April 1, 1995
On April 1, 1995 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N3546V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erie, Pennsylvania (Waisley Airstrip 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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 1995 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Pennsylvania · Waisley Airstrip
- 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
- N3546V · no longer on the register · serial 15076542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOW PASS OVER A GRASS STRIP, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE PILOT OVERFLEW THE STRIP AND ENTERED THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. DURING THE APPROACH THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE WAS TOO LOW AND THE PILOT ADDED POWER. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO 'FLOAT' DOWN THE RUNWAY AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO BACKFIRE. THE PILOT DECIDED TO DO A GO AROUND, HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE'S CLIMB RATE WAS DEGRADED AND THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT CLEAR TREES THAT SURROUNDED THE STRIP. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TREES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD APPLIED HEAT TO THE CARBURETOR PRIOR TO THE LOW PASS. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RAN FOR FIVE MINUTES WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO LIGHT CARBURETOR ICING AT GLIDE OR CRUISE POWER EXISTED.
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: 1,091 hours in all; 870 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,545 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 1994; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8G2 Corry-Lawrence PA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 38PN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from ERI
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.
Other NTSB records under N3546V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.