Cessna 150 accident near Craley, Pennsylvania, January 29, 1989
On January 29, 1989 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N8806S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Craley, Pennsylvania (Private 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 LOSS OF CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF DUE TO A PILOT INDUCED STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE WRONG RUNWAY SELECTED BY THE PILOT WHICH PUT THE AIRCRAFT IN A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF SITUATION AND THE PILOTS MISJUDGEMENT OF THE DISTANCE IT WOULD TAKE THE AIRCRAFT TO CLEAR TREES LOCATED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 1989 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Craley, Pennsylvania · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N8806S · registry record · serial 15062106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT HE LANDED AT A FRIEND'S FARM WHICH HAD A SMALL RUNWAY AND AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES HE DEPARTED. HE SAID HE LANDED TO THE WEST AND TOOK OFF TO THE EAST. DURING THE TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO CLEAR TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA. THE PILOT THOUGHT THAT HE STALLED THE AIRPLANE DURING TAKEOFF.
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: 316 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,284 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Winterstown PA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 285° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.