Cessna 150 accident near Picayune, Mississippi, June 4, 1989
On June 4, 1989, a Cessna 150, registered N8782G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Picayune, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT AND HIS MISCALCULATION OF FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION FROM LACK OF FUEL; AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE POWER LINES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE POWER LINES WERE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1989
- Place
- Picayune, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N8782G · no longer on the register · serial 15062882
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS RTRNG FM THE 3RD TRIP TO THE LOCAL AREA WHEN THE ENG LOST PWR. HE BEGAN A FORCED LANDING ON A STREET, BUT DRG THE APCH, THE ACFT STRUCK & BECAME SUSPENDED IN PWR LINES THAT CROSSED THE STREET. THE PLT SAID THAT BY THE TIME HE SAW THE PWR LINES, HE WAS UNABLE TO AVOID THEM. HE ESTIMATED THE COMBINED FLT LASTED 8/10 OF AN HR. HE CHECKED THE FUEL BEFORE FLYING & ESTIMATED A FUEL SUPPLY OF 1-1/2 HRS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, NO USABLE FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT. THE PLT HAD STARTED THE FLT AT 1800 CDT. AFTER RETURNING FROM A SHORT TRIP IN THE LOCAL AREA, HE FLEW BACK IN THE LOCAL AREA TWO MORE TIMES. THE COMBINED FLT ENDED AT 1930 CDT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 97 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,856 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1988; 22 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: PCU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 am from GPT, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.