Cessna 150L accident near Picayune, Mississippi, August 5, 1995
On August 5, 1995 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N18679, was substantially damaged in an accident near Picayune, Mississippi (Picayune Pearl River CO airport). It was a personal 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
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1995 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Picayune, Mississippi · Picayune Pearl River CO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N18679 · no longer on the register · serial 15074038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE ORBITING A HOUSE, THE PILOT APPLIED POWER TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT BUT THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT BUT THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND. WHILE DESCENDING THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH, AND REMAINED SUSPENDED IN A TREE. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED AND EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANKS REVEALED EACH CONTAINED 2.5 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CHECKED FOR CONTAMINANTS; NONE WERE FOUND. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED TO NO HIGHER THAN 1,500 RPM DUE TO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE. THE MAGNETOS WERE OPERATIONALLY TESTED WITH NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
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: 330 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 330 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,926 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1995; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PCU at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from GPT, 100 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.