Cessna 150D accident near Patton, Pennsylvania, July 15, 1982
On July 15, 1982 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 150D, registered N5945T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Patton, Pennsylvania. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1982 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Patton, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150D · all 150Ds on the register
- Registration
- N5945T · no longer on the register · serial 64451-6A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED JOHNSTON, PA AT ABOUT 2000 EDT ON A RETURN FLIGHT TO EBENSBURG, PA. HE SAW THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AT ABOUT 2015 EDT AND ELECTED TO FLY LOCALLY AND PRACTICE MANEUVERS. AT ABOUT 2045 EDT, HE BECAME LOST AND FLEW A LARGE RECTANGULAR PATH TO FIND A LANDMARK. BY ABOUT 2100 EDT, IT WAS GETTING DARK AND HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD WITH DEEP FURROWS THAT WERE OBSCURED BY VEGETATION. THE LANDING WAS MADE ACROSS THE FURROWS ON SOFT TERRAIN. WHILE LANDING, THE GEAR WAS DAMAGED. AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT 90 FT, THE PLANE NOSED OVER.
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: student
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,064 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Johnstown PA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: Ebensburg PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.