Cessna A150L accident near Buena Vista, Georgia, October 12, 2001
On October 12, 2001 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna A150L, registered N6020J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buena Vista, Georgia (Ellaville, Ga airport). 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 pilot's failure to use proper bounced landing technique, resulting in a hard touchdown, propeller strike, and noseover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2001 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Buena Vista, Georgia · Ellaville, Ga · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A150L · all A150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N6020J · no longer on the register · serial A1500320
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, as he flared and touched down on the private, grass airstrip, a gust of wind caused the aircraft to become airborne about 5 feet above the runway. On the second touchdown, the aircraft impacted the runway surface with enough force to cause the propeller to strike the surface, resulting in a nose over. The pilot was uninjured, however, the aircraft received substantial damage.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1,250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 12, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,024 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2001; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMA Tifton GA at 4:40 pm
- Destination: Buena Vista GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft; clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from CSG, 41 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.