Cessna 150 accident near Berry, Alabama, August 20, 2022
On August 20, 2022 at about 4:40 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 150, registered N8797G, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Berry, Alabama. 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
A partial loss of engine power due to the No. 3 cylinder’s stuck exhaust valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2022 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Berry, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 F, built 1966 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N8797G · registry record · serial 15062897
- 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 flight instructor reported that the engine lost partial power during cruise flight. The instructor assumed control of the airplane, attempted to restore power, and performed a forced landing to a cleared area of wooded terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the exhaust valve in the No. 3 cylinder was stuck in the open position. Based on this finding, it is likely that the partial loss of engine power was the result of the No. 3 cylinder’s stuck exhaust valve. The engine maintenance records were not available for review, and the maintenance history of the engine could not be determined.
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)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,835 hours in all; 438 in this make and model; 379 in the last 90 days; 115 in the last 30 days; 1,738 as pilot in command; 68 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 17 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,059 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 29, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DCU Decatur AL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: TCL Tuscaloosa AL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 10:20 am from KTCL, 20 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTCL 201520Z 22005KT 10SM SCT012 BKN017 OVC023 27/24 A3013 RMK AO2 T02670239 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 20, 2023. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Student Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Exam Memorandum for Record | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 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.