Cessna 150 accident near Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, June 28, 2021
On June 28, 2021 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 150, registered N22307, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Bentleyville, Pennsylvania (Private airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor and student pilot’s inadequate preflight performance planning which resulted in a takeoff attempt with insufficient available runway, a loss of control, and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2021 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bentleyville, Pennsylvania · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 H, built 1968 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N22307 · registry record · serial 15068207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot and instructor were preparing for the student’s private pilot checkride. After performing takeoffs, landings, and several maneuvers, they decided to perform a landing at a 1,720 ft private grass strip. The landing was uneventful, and the student pilot taxied back and prepared to take off with 10° of flaps. During the takeoff, after the airplane became airborne, and the last recollection the student pilot had was that the airplane was not climbing due to “low airspeed in [the] high heat [and] high humidity.” Subsequently, the airplane impacted the runway about 100 ft from trees at the departure end, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The student pilot reported that they did not complete performance calculations prior to the takeoff. Takeoff performance calculations based on the takeoff distance chart in the airplane owner’s manual revealed that a ground roll of about 1,022 ft and a takeoff distance of about 1,792 ft was required to clear a 50-ft obstacle at the airplane’s maximum allowable gross weight. The chart (and the checklist procedure) indicated that the maximum performance takeoff was to be performed with the flaps in the retracted position. In addition, the student pilot and the flight instructor stated that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane during the takeoff.
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 control in flight during initial climb
- Collision during takeoff/land during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Takeoff distance › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Instructor/check pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 107 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
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
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,737 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: WAY Waynesburg PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 1,720 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from AFJ, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAFJ 282256Z AUTO 21005KT 10SM CLR 31/20 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP225 T03110200
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA21LA271.