Cessna 150L accident near East Liverpool, Ohio, April 13, 1985
On April 13, 1985, a Cessna 150L, registered N15JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Liverpool, Ohio (Columbiana County airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1985
- Place
- East Liverpool, Ohio · Columbiana County · 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
- N15JT · registry record · serial 15072074
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A NIGHT/SOLO X-COUNTRY FLT, THE ENG HAD A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. THE STUDENT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT A NEARBY ARPT, BUT THE RWY LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. AT FIRST, THE STUDENT DID NOT REMEMBER THAT THE LIGHTS COULD BE CONTROLLED BY KEYING THE RADIO. EVENTUALLY, HE CHANGED THE RADIO TO THE UNICOM FREQ (122.8) & TURNED ON THE LIGHTS. HE FOUND THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT IN A PROPER POSITION TO LAND, SO HE ELECTED TO LAND AT AN ANGLE TO THE RWY. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT HIT A DITCH & NOSED OVER. A SUBSEQUENT TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE #4 EXHAUST VALVE WAS STUCK IN THE FULL OPEN POSITION.
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: 72 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 24, 1984; 25 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: PHD New Philadelphi OH at 11:00 pm
- Destination: G01 Beaver Falls PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.