Cessna 150M accident near Worthington, Massachusetts, August 2, 1998
On August 2, 1998 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704ZY, was destroyed in an accident near Worthington, Massachusetts. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed due to diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1998 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Worthington, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N704ZY · no longer on the register · serial 15079014
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was operating on a local aerial photography flight with a photographer. Witnesses observed the airplane make two circles over the area, with the second pass lower than the first pass. One witness heard the engine sputter followed by an impact, while two other witnesses said the engine was running until impact. Onsite investigation revealed the airplane had slid down a tree and impacted on its left side. The throttle and mixture were found full forward with the carburetor heat knob partially extended. Some of the spark plugs were covered with soot. Fuel was found in the wing tanks, the fuel line leading to the carburetor, and the inside the carburetor. Pieces of cut wood more than 4 inches across was found near the base of the tree that the airplane slid down. The airplane was removed and the engine ran with no hesitation observed.
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: 659 hours in all; 622 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 536 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,129 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 1998; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Charis Air Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: BAF Westfield MA at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from BAF, 14 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.