Cessna 150L accident near Gantt, South Carolina, January 28, 2026
On January 28, 2026 at about 7:10 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna 150L, registered N67WJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gantt, South Carolina (Donaldson Fld 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and a nose landing gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 2026 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Gantt, South Carolina · Donaldson Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L, built 1973 · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N67WJ · registry record · serial 15074915
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that after arriving at the destination airport while on a solo cross-country flight, she elected to perform airport traffic pattern work with some touch-and-go landings. The first landing went well, and the pilot took off again for a second attempt. The second approach was stable throughout; the airspeed was good and it was smooth, but after arriving over the threshold, she reduced engine power but flared late, which did not arrest the descent in time. The airplane struck the runway and bounced. During the second bounce the airplane landed hard, and the nose landing gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and airframe. The pilot agreed that there were no preimpact malfunctions or failures of the airplane that precluded normal operation. The pilot further stated she just “rounded out late,” and thought it was too late to abort the landing.
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
- 550094 during descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Ratings: none, none, none, none
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 5.1 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 6, 2026
- Medical certificate: class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,118.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 12, 2025; 58.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200-A (piston); 4,118 hours total
- Operator: Pivotal Aviation
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05/2, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°C, dew point 10°C
- Altimeter: 30.129999 inHg
- Observation at 2:07 pm from GYH
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KGYH 281907Z 25011KT 10SM CLR 07/M12 A3013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA26LA104.