Cessna 150M accident near Wiley Ford, West Virginia, October 2, 1998
On October 2, 1998 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N9273U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wiley Ford, West Virginia (Greater Cumberland Arpt 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
Was the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during an unforecast change in wind velocity. Factors were the gusts and the lack of recent experience for the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 1998 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wiley Ford, West Virginia · Greater Cumberland Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9273U · no longer on the register · serial 15078223
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Just as the airplane touched down on runway 23, there was momentary increase in the wind velocity. The pilot failed to maintain directional control and the airplane departed the runway and nosed over. The pilot with a total time of about 200 hours had a break of several years in his flying and had recently received 10 hours of dual instruction. This was his first solo flight following the dual instruction flights. The winds which had been from 270 degrees at less than 5 knots, increased to 12 knots with gusts to 20 knots for about a 5 minute period and then returned to their previous value. The FAA reported the higher winds were not forecast and only lasted about 5 minutes. The crosswind component of a 20 knot wind, 40 degrees from the runway was computed at 13 knots.
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: 200 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 136 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,938 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CBE at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,048 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 30°F (-1°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.