Cessna 150 accident near Louisa, Virginia, August 29, 2002
On August 29, 2002 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N60425, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisa, Virginia (Louisa Co./Freeman airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2002 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Louisa, Virginia · Louisa Co./Freeman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N60425 · registry record · serial 15070297
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student taxied onto the runway, applied full power, the engine responded, and the airplane accelerated as expected. After climbing through approximately 50 feet agl, the engine suddenly lost all power. The instructor took the controls, set the airplane back down onto the runway, and applied maximum braking. The airplane overran the end of the runway, impacted a small ditch that was concealed by grass, and nosed over. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions. In addition, three different engine runs were performed with the engine on the accident airplane, and no anomalies were identified.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,500 hours in all; 17,500 as pilot in command; 8,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 28, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,828 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 24, 2002; 60.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LKU Louisa VA
- Destination: LKU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,301 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 9:23 pm from LKU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.