Cessna 150H accident near Wheeling, West Virginia, December 21, 1994
On December 21, 1994 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N7175S, was destroyed in an accident near Wheeling, West Virginia (Wheeling Ohio County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's inadequately planned cross-country flight, and his subsequent disorientation, resulting in fuel exhaustion and a collision with an object.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 1994 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, West Virginia · Wheeling Ohio County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N7175S · registry record · serial 15067875
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A SOLO, CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE BECAME LOST AND DISORIENTED AS HE RETURNED TO HIS DEPARTURE AIRPORT. HE WAS VECTORED TO AN AIRPORT AND STARTED A VISUAL APPROACH. THE ENGINE QUIT ON SHORT FINAL, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A FENCE. THE FAA EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND FOUND ONE GALLON OF FUEL IN THE TANKS. THE STUDENT, WHO OWNED THE AIRPLANE, DID NOT OBTAIN HIS INSTRUCTOR'S AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CROSS COUNTRY.
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: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AFJ Washington PA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: 7G1 New Cumberland WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°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.