Cessna 150J accident near Greenville, Mississippi, February 18, 2025
On February 18, 2025 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1969 Cessna 150J, registered N7486S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, Mississippi (Greenville Mid Delta airport). 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
The pilots’ inadequate fuel planning and failure to monitor the fuel consumption which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing into wooded terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision during the instructional flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2025 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Mississippi · Greenville Mid Delta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J, built 1969 · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N7486S · registry record · serial 15070358
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that while conducting holding pattern training, the engine “stuttered” which was followed by a loss of engine RPM. The pilot receiving instruction pulled on the carburetor heat, and the engine did not regain power. The engine subsequently lost total power. Due to the lack of suitable terrain, the flight instructor then conducted a forced landing to wooded terrain. The airplane impacted trees and terrain resulting in substantial damage to the wings and empennage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel system was intact and contained no usable fuel.
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
What happened, in order
- Enroute-holding (IFR) Fuel exhaustion defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Flight crew
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 229.2 hours in all; 23.2 in this make and model; 229.2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KGLH, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KGLH 182353Z 03013KT 10SM OVC060 05/01 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP198 T00500011 10072 20050 58009=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Overview of Accident Airplane
Photograph 2 – Right Wing Damage
Photograph 3 – Empennage DamageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 11, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Pilot-under-instruction | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Mor | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.