Cessna 150K accident near Bishop, Texas, February 8, 2001
On February 8, 2001 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Cessna 150K, registered N5695G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bishop, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain altitude and clearance from terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's diverted attention and the low ceiling.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2001 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Bishop, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150K · all 150Ks on the register
- Registration
- N5695G · no longer on the register · serial 15071195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The single engine airplane collided with the ground while in cruise flight during a VFR flight beneath a low cloud ceiling. After about 10 minutes of flight the pilot was leaning forward and trying to untangle the wires of his headset jacks when the airplane "unexpectedly" impacted the ground. He was flying at about 500 feet AGL and did not have a good horizon. No mechanical anomalies were found with the aircraft. The nearest weather reporting facility, located about 15 miles to the west of the accident site, reported the following visibility and cloud conditions close to the time of the accident: Visibility 4 miles, 500 feet broken, 1000 overcast.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 23, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2000; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 07R Bishop TX at 1:45 pm
- Destination: HRL Harlingen TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from NQI, 15 miles away
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.