Cessna 150 accident near Burnt Chimney, Virginia, February 6, 1999
On February 6, 1999 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N19186, was destroyed in an accident near Burnt Chimney, Virginia (Burnt Chimney 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 pilot's decision to land on a short runway with a strong tailwind, and his failure to obtain a proper touchdown point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1999 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Burnt Chimney, Virginia · Burnt Chimney Airport · 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
- N19186 · no longer on the register · serial 15074219
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot observed the winds to be from 250-260 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots. He landed approximately 900 feet beyond the approach end of Runway 6, a 1,800 foot long grass runway. The airplane floated, and impacted trees at the end of the runway.
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: 259 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 216 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,620 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 1998; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTV Martinsville VA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 70VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 19 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,900 ft; ovct at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from ROA, 16 miles away
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.