Cessna 150M accident near Mount Airy, Maryland, September 19, 2015
On September 19, 2015 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 150M, registered N714CW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Mount Airy, Maryland. 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 in-flight fatigue failure of the No. 4 cylinder barrel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2015 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Airy, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M, built 1976 · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N714CW · no longer on the register · serial 15079083
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, about 10 minutes after departure, when the airplane was at 2,500 ft mean sea level, the engine was not producing full power. He adjusted his course to be near an airport as a precaution. Shortly after, the engine began to run roughly, then lost more power. The pilot declared an emergency and found a field for landing; during the approach, he adjusted his path to avoid power lines and attempted a downwind approach and landing to the opposite direction. He realized he could not make the field, so he landed on an adjacent field of mature corn. As his airplane touched down, it flipped over, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the No. 4 cylinder had fractured at the barrel portion of the cylinder, separating from the bottom of the cylinder attach point. Examination of the fracture surfaces revealed a fatigue crack that emanated from a corrosion pit on the outer surface of the barrel portion. The fatigue failure of the No. 4 cylinder barrel led to the loss of engine power.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 620 hours in all; 570 in this make and model; 7.5 in the last 90 days; 544.4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 2014; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,601 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200-A (piston); 3,568 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2W2 Westminster MD at 3:30 pm
- Destination: JYO Leesburg VA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from KDMW, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on November 26, 2019. 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 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Maintenance Records Excerpts | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Major Repair and Authorization - Cylinders | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photographs of Accident Site and Damage | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 16-070 | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Party Form - Engine Manufacturer | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Evidence Control and Wreckage Release | PDF, 2 pages | 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.